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: $933 in Cotonou versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Cotonou versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Cotonou versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 43% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 32% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 F CFA 2,990

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-34.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.57 F CFA 20.7K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-24.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 F CFA 5,552

$9.42 COP 29.0K

4.35%

Cappuccino

$5.39 F CFA 3,046

$2.94 COP 9,040

83.33%

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

$1.08 F CFA 608

$1.86 COP 5,735

-41.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 F CFA 557

$1.46 COP 4,479

-32.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 F CFA 481

$3.21 COP 9,882

-73.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-53.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 F CFA 1,760

$1.44 COP 4,428

115.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 F CFA 697

$2.40 COP 7,389

-48.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,082

$1.70 COP 5,228

12.94%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,557

$2.89 COP 8,896

-4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 F CFA 5,605

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 F CFA 3,192

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-43.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.27 F CFA 2,978

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-62.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

$3.98 COP 12.3K

7.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,057

$1.58 COP 4,878

18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 F CFA 751

$2.15 COP 6,624

-38.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 F CFA 1,587

$2.30 COP 7,078

22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 F CFA 742

$2.00 COP 6,169

-34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 F CFA 1,030

$1.51 COP 4,646

20.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 273

$1.20 COP 3,701

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 634

$1.28 COP 3,946

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 F CFA 1,950

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-10.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.31 F CFA 2,437

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-69.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.71 COP 5,256

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 F CFA 1,095

$2.74 COP 8,440

-29.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 F CFA 739

$1.25 COP 3,834

4.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 F CFA 809

$1.31 COP 4,016

9.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 F CFA 791

$2.17 COP 6,680

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 F CFA 687

$1.36 COP 4,172

-10.29%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.8M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-33.38%

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

$155 F CFA 87.6K

$169 COP 519.2K

-8.11%

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

$35.18 F CFA 19.9K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

159.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.94 F CFA 28.2K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

76.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

11.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-79.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 F CFA 5,041

$6.65 COP 20.5K

34.14%

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

$135 F CFA 76.5K

$803 COP 2.5M

-83.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,847 F CFA 3.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-36.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.84 F CFA 15.2K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-69.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.63 F CFA 20.1K

$139 COP 427.5K

-74.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 F CFA 39.8K

$102 COP 314.0K

-31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 F CFA 105.3K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-82.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 99.1K

$653 COP 2.0M

-73.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 F CFA 349.8K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-67.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 F CFA 237.0K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-59.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 F CFA 148.1K

$655 COP 2.0M

-59.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-63.44%

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

Last update for Cotonou: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $186 in Cotonou and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 150% 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: $37.00 in Cotonou vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $300 per month, with Cotonou cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 150% 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: $186 in Cotonou versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $933 per month in Cotonou versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $933 in Cotonou versus $1,641 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 76% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.