Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $997 in Cotonou versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Cotonou versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Cotonou versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 1% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 25% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,980

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-41.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.3K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,946

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-30.55%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,175

$1.65 COP 5,276

236.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 F CFA 492

$1.10 COP 3,514

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 449

$0.78 COP 2,491

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 799

$1.72 COP 5,484

-18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,060

$3.18 COP 10.1K

13.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,472

$1.10 COP 3,521

134.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 820

$1.26 COP 4,015

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

$1.38 COP 4,407

39.13%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,271

$2.18 COP 6,950

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,288

$4.49 COP 14.3K

106.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,888

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-12.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,949

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-42.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,217

$2.32 COP 7,405

67.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 784

$1.06 COP 3,397

29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 694

$1.52 COP 4,838

-20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 995

$1.36 COP 4,327

27.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$1.13 COP 3,599

18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 859

$1.17 COP 3,738

28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 293

$0.90 COP 2,876

-43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 705

$0.90 COP 2,861

36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,341

$2.23 COP 7,128

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,446

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-64.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 686

$1.19 COP 3,793

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,309

$2.48 COP 7,920

-7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$0.85 COP 2,723

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 789

$1.42 COP 4,518

-2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 712

$1.95 COP 6,223

-35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 994

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-77.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 636

$0.99 COP 3,160

12.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 56.2M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.9K F CFA 14.2M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-7.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$266 F CFA 152.1K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

220.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$43.54 F CFA 24.9K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

348.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 32.0K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

138.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.6K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

132.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,086

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-71.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,294

$3.95 COP 12.6K

90.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$185 F CFA 105.5K

$316 COP 1.0M

-41.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

6.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,972

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-70.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,972

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-72.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,169

$102 COP 324.4K

-91.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 28.1K

$107 COP 342.8K

-54.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.8K

$475 COP 1.5M

-58.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 85.2K

$374 COP 1.2M

-60.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 326.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-32.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 161.6K

$719 COP 2.3M

-60.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.9K

$624 COP 2.0M

-72.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-62.77%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Cotonou and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 264% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cotonou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 264% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $199 in Cotonou versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Cotonou versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.