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: $978 in Cotonou versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Cotonou versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Cotonou versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 5% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cotonou 27% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 F CFA 1,946

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-41.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-17.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 F CFA 2,937

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-27.22%

Cappuccino

$5.52 F CFA 3,093

$1.70 COP 6,186

224.71%

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

$0.86 F CFA 483

$1.10 COP 3,996

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 F CFA 435

$0.72 COP 2,625

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 F CFA 813

$1.67 COP 6,067

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 F CFA 1,954

$3.10 COP 11.3K

12.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 F CFA 1,484

$1.06 COP 3,837

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 F CFA 773

$1.25 COP 4,531

10.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 F CFA 1,035

$1.39 COP 5,060

33.09%

Eggs

$2.18 F CFA 1,220

$2.26 COP 8,229

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 F CFA 5,173

$4.33 COP 15.8K

113.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 F CFA 2,760

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-15.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 F CFA 2,874

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 F CFA 2,181

$2.24 COP 8,159

73.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 770

$1.08 COP 3,911

26.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 F CFA 709

$1.53 COP 5,563

-16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 989

$1.37 COP 4,987

29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 788

$1.13 COP 4,109

24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 F CFA 810

$1.12 COP 4,067

29.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 266

$0.85 COP 3,080

-43.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 717

$0.91 COP 3,305

40.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 F CFA 1,307

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 F CFA 3,655

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-41.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 697

$1.19 COP 4,342

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 F CFA 1,279

$2.37 COP 8,617

-3.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,011

$0.79 COP 2,859

127.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 809

$1.44 COP 5,223

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 704

$1.91 COP 6,952

-34.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 F CFA 1,004

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-77.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 F CFA 595

$0.94 COP 3,410

12.77%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-9.34%

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

$269 F CFA 150.7K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

220.49%

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

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

366.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

129.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

127.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.44 F CFA 3,047

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-71.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 F CFA 4,217

$3.92 COP 14.2K

92.09%

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

$189 F CFA 106.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

-38.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

10.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.58 F CFA 9,851

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-69.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.64 F CFA 4,840

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-72.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,064

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-90.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

$107 COP 389.7K

-54.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 F CFA 113.1K

$487 COP 1.8M

-58.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 83.5K

$368 COP 1.3M

-59.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 F CFA 323.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-30.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 F CFA 159.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

-60.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Cotonou and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $190, 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,467 in Cotonou and $1,550 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $202 in Cotonou versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $978 per month in Cotonou versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $1,034 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 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.