Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dakar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,327 in Dakar versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Dakar versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,061 in Dakar versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Dakar is roughly 31% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dakar 1% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 F CFA 3,061

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-9.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

62.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 F CFA 5,761

$7.09 COP 25.3K

44.01%

Cappuccino

$4.43 F CFA 2,500

$1.71 COP 6,105

159.06%

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

$0.86 F CFA 484

$1.10 COP 3,918

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 F CFA 616

$0.78 COP 2,776

39.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 F CFA 1,451

$1.68 COP 5,987

52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 F CFA 2,460

$3.07 COP 10.9K

42.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 F CFA 1,424

$1.09 COP 3,899

131.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 F CFA 360

$1.26 COP 4,500

-49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 F CFA 907

$1.38 COP 4,914

16.67%

Eggs

$2.88 F CFA 1,627

$2.19 COP 7,813

31.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 F CFA 7,215

$4.40 COP 15.7K

190.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 F CFA 5,361

$5.63 COP 20.1K

68.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 F CFA 6,075

$8.89 COP 31.7K

21.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 F CFA 1,538

$2.34 COP 8,334

16.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 F CFA 1,122

$1.06 COP 3,771

87.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 F CFA 1,475

$1.50 COP 5,365

74.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,175

$1.38 COP 4,915

50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 845

$1.15 COP 4,104

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 759

$1.16 COP 4,148

15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 F CFA 600

$0.89 COP 3,176

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 460

$0.84 COP 2,992

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 F CFA 909

$2.28 COP 8,131

-29.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 F CFA 8,682

$10.64 COP 37.9K

44.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 668

$1.20 COP 4,276

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 F CFA 1,255

$2.47 COP 8,809

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 204

$0.86 COP 3,051

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 F CFA 45.5K

$41.40 COP 147.6K

94.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 F CFA 1,515

$1.47 COP 5,255

82.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 F CFA 1,600

$1.96 COP 6,997

44.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.2K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

132.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 F CFA 964

$0.95 COP 3,403

80.00%

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

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

99.03%

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

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

85.91%

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

$138 F CFA 78.1K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

68.23%

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

$9.92 F CFA 5,602

$9.50 COP 33.9K

4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 F CFA 28.5K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

108.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

117.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

12.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 F CFA 5,091

$3.93 COP 14.0K

129.52%

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

$272 F CFA 153.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-12.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

20.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

35.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 58.2K

$103 COP 365.7K

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 F CFA 74.1K

$108 COP 386.5K

21.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 F CFA 515.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

91.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 208.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-2.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

$838 COP 3.0M

122.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 F CFA 529.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

29.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

79.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 F CFA 841.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

23.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 F CFA 243.4K

$512 COP 1.8M

-15.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

13.43

-38.57%

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

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $914 in Dakar and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Dakar vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $188 per month, with Medellin 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

Dakar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar and Medellin differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,327 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 19% less. 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: $914 in Dakar versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,327 per month in Dakar versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 95% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,327 in Dakar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dakar. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.