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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Douala vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Douala vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,606 per month in Douala vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Douala costs about 58% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Douala sits 22% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.02 FCFA 5,056

$5.92 COP 21.5K

52.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 FCFA 70.3K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

283.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 FCFA 2,886

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-28.47%

Cappuccino

$1.89 FCFA 1,061

$1.70 COP 6,186

11.18%

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

$1.68 FCFA 940

$1.10 COP 3,996

52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 FCFA 466

$0.72 COP 2,625

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 FCFA 659

$1.67 COP 6,067

-29.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 FCFA 1,490

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-14.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 FCFA 1,625

$1.06 COP 3,837

173.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 250

$1.25 COP 4,531

-64.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,257

$1.39 COP 5,060

61.15%

Eggs

$1.91 FCFA 1,068

$2.26 COP 8,229

-15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 FCFA 12.7K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

425.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,324

$5.84 COP 21.2K

32.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 FCFA 3,686

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 FCFA 2,770

$2.24 COP 8,159

120.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,176

$1.08 COP 3,911

94.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 FCFA 1,169

$1.53 COP 5,563

36.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 761

$1.37 COP 4,987

-0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 FCFA 1,894

$1.13 COP 4,109

199.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,255

$1.12 COP 4,067

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 FCFA 407

$0.85 COP 3,080

-14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 FCFA 375

$0.91 COP 3,305

-26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 FCFA 2,009

$2.33 COP 8,477

54.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 FCFA 4,663

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-25.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 FCFA 757

$1.19 COP 4,342

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 FCFA 1,091

$2.37 COP 8,617

-17.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 FCFA 362

$0.79 COP 2,859

-17.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.48 FCFA 9,796

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-57.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 306

$1.44 COP 5,223

-61.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 FCFA 426

$1.91 COP 6,952

-60.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 FCFA 4,587

$8.02 COP 29.2K

2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FCFA 767

$0.94 COP 3,410

45.74%

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

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

73.25%

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

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-40.18%

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

$170 FCFA 95.1K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

102.10%

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

$25.96 FCFA 14.5K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

170.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$182 FCFA 101.8K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

651.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-9.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.47 FCFA 1,946

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-81.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 FCFA 4,817

$3.92 COP 14.2K

119.39%

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

$530 FCFA 297.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

73.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-40.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 FCFA 45.4K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

40.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

120.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 79.3K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

41.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 FCFA 85.9K

$107 COP 389.7K

43.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 FCFA 512.4K

$487 COP 1.8M

87.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 FCFA 328.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

59.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

$826 COP 3.0M

128.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 FCFA 632.6K

$716 COP 2.6M

57.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-27.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 FCFA 563.2K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-28.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 FCFA 91.5K

$546 COP 2.0M

-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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $915 in Douala versus $487 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 $126 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 58%, 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 $2,454 per month in Douala and $1,550 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 $126 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 $1,034, than in Douala at $1,636. 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.