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: $1,470 in Dakar versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Dakar versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Dakar versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Dakar costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dakar 7% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-34.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

15.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

$9.77 COP 30.7K

17.09%

Cappuccino

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

$2.91 COP 9,149

22.34%

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

$1.25 F CFA 707

$1.94 COP 6,110

-35.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 501

$1.52 COP 4,783

-41.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 F CFA 1,470

$3.09 COP 9,721

-15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 F CFA 2,467

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

$1.36 COP 4,287

109.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 F CFA 434

$2.39 COP 7,505

-67.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 996

$1.70 COP 5,346

4.12%

Eggs

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

$2.87 COP 9,021

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

$9.94 COP 31.2K

79.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-22.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

$1.57 COP 4,940

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

$2.13 COP 6,682

39.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

$2.21 COP 6,959

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 784

$2.05 COP 6,435

-32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 F CFA 556

$1.50 COP 4,728

-34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 F CFA 642

$1.19 COP 3,740

-4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 F CFA 378

$1.16 COP 3,640

-42.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-44.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 F CFA 10.2K

$14.44 COP 45.4K

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 F CFA 911

$1.58 COP 4,978

2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 F CFA 1,897

$2.83 COP 8,889

19.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 F CFA 215

$1.17 COP 3,672

-67.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

$77.7 COP 244.3K

4.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

$1.28 COP 4,038

75.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

$2.09 COP 6,576

7.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

108.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 F CFA 946

$1.30 COP 4,080

29.23%

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

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

89.37%

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

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

40.37%

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

$213 F CFA 119.9K

$176 COP 553.4K

20.80%

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

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-10.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

57.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

3.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

$17.06 COP 53.6K

41.15%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

$6.20 COP 19.5K

40.65%

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

$330 F CFA 186.1K

$793 COP 2.5M

-58.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

19.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-30.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

$136 COP 428.4K

-34.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 F CFA 56.4K

$103 COP 324.1K

-2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 F CFA 474.1K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-20.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 F CFA 250.8K

$680 COP 2.1M

-34.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 F CFA 539.4K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-18.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

21.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-7.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 F CFA 198.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

-47.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.75

10.94

-20.02%

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

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $841 in Dakar and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 89% 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: $56.0 in Dakar vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $303 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,470 vs $1,716 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 89% 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: $841 in Dakar versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,470 per month in Dakar versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 5% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,470 in Dakar versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dakar but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dakar 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 Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.