Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Douala and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,650 per month in Douala vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Douala vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,658 per month in Douala vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Douala costs about 62% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Douala sits 23% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 FCFA 4,954

$5.95 COP 20.8K

47.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 FCFA 70.8K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

276.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 FCFA 3,016

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-26.14%

Cappuccino

$1.82 FCFA 1,030

$1.63 COP 5,687

11.66%

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

$1.64 FCFA 927

$1.09 COP 3,821

50.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 FCFA 448

$0.73 COP 2,548

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 FCFA 637

$1.74 COP 6,065

-35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-20.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.81 FCFA 1,589

$1.05 COP 3,662

167.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 251

$1.29 COP 4,515

-65.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 FCFA 1,307

$1.32 COP 4,617

75.00%

Eggs

$2.02 FCFA 1,139

$2.27 COP 7,927

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.79 FCFA 12.9K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

423.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,362

$5.88 COP 20.5K

31.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 FCFA 3,744

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 FCFA 2,742

$2.25 COP 7,844

116.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 FCFA 1,183

$1.07 COP 3,733

95.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 FCFA 1,217

$1.52 COP 5,322

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 767

$1.42 COP 4,964

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 FCFA 1,879

$1.17 COP 4,084

184.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,227

$1.17 COP 4,077

85.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 FCFA 447

$0.89 COP 3,096

-11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 352

$0.90 COP 3,146

-31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 FCFA 1,958

$2.25 COP 7,837

54.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 FCFA 4,840

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 800

$1.14 COP 3,977

24.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 FCFA 1,099

$2.38 COP 8,301

-18.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$0.84 COP 2,916

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.61 FCFA 9,946

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-58.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 FCFA 314

$1.41 COP 4,912

-60.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 FCFA 425

$1.90 COP 6,634

-60.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 FCFA 4,780

$7.75 COP 27.0K

9.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 FCFA 814

$1.01 COP 3,509

42.57%

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

$30.3K FCFA 17.1M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

72.53%

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

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-39.66%

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

$167 FCFA 94.1K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

99.01%

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

$26.57 FCFA 15.0K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

181.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$185 FCFA 104.6K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

668.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.91 FCFA 13.5K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-5.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 FCFA 2,051

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-81.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.71 FCFA 4,921

$4.10 COP 14.3K

112.44%

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

$534 FCFA 301.4K

$312 COP 1.1M

71.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,478 FCFA 2.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-41.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 FCFA 45.9K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

40.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 FCFA 38.9K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

111.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 FCFA 80.5K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

43.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 FCFA 87.7K

$109 COP 378.8K

43.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 FCFA 523.8K

$482 COP 1.7M

92.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 FCFA 334.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

56.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 FCFA 1.1M

$837 COP 2.9M

126.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 FCFA 639.5K

$723 COP 2.5M

56.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,065 FCFA 1.2M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-27.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 FCFA 557.9K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-19.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 FCFA 91.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

-70.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.21

13.43

43.04%

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

Last update for Douala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in Douala versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 234% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $125 in Douala versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Douala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,476 per month in Douala and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Douala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $125 in Douala and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Douala at $1,650. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.