Cost of Living Comparison Between El Medano and Abidjan Cost of Living Comparison Between El Medano and Abidjan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in El Medano versus $1,325 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,642 in El Medano versus $2,172 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,939 in El Medano versus $3,020 in Abidjan.

Living in El Medano is roughly 1% more expensive than Abidjan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: El Medano is 0% above, Abidjan is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 €14.91

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

402.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 €49.99

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

8.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 €9.10

$10.66 F CFA 6,012

-0.75%

Cappuccino

$2.01 €1.73

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

11.05%

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

$1.84 €1.59

$0.86 F CFA 485

113.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.83 F CFA 467

21.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 €2.53

$1.03 F CFA 580

185.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 €2.86

$1.79 F CFA 1,008

85.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.34 F CFA 1,322

-44.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.62 F CFA 350

175.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.29 F CFA 728

12.40%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.73

$2.29 F CFA 1,290

38.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.98 €12.89

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

-35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 €7.12

$8.59 F CFA 4,846

-3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 €12.38

$6.24 F CFA 3,519

130.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$3.91 F CFA 2,203

-37.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.15 F CFA 646

53.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$2.20 F CFA 1,238

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.03 F CFA 1,145

28.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.68 F CFA 949

-6.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.75 F CFA 989

0.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.89 F CFA 502

66.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 €0.56

$0.91 F CFA 512

-27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 €4.41

$1.73 F CFA 973

195.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 €6.87

$6.25 F CFA 3,524

27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.06 F CFA 596

45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.42 F CFA 803

-3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.98 F CFA 555

73.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.12 €14.72

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

-65.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 €4.01

$1.74 F CFA 982

168.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.55 F CFA 873

-13.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.17 €14.77

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

-35.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.55 F CFA 876

-15.48%

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

$28.1K €24.2K

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

-12.98%

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

$29.8K €25.7K

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

-0.04%

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

$89.3 €76.8

$183 F CFA 103.0K

-51.11%

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

$21.72 €18.68

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

-39.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.73 €26.43

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

-31.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 €39.38

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

-43.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.96 €12.87

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

-31.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 €8.24

$8.91 F CFA 5,024

7.52%

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

$342 €295

$285 F CFA 161.0K

19.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,321 €7,158

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

153.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 €71.8

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

-9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 €29.15

$57.9 F CFA 32.6K

-41.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 €72.7

$84.6 F CFA 47.7K

-0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 €59.9

$138 F CFA 77.6K

-49.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €913

$623 F CFA 351.4K

70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 €419

$399 F CFA 225.0K

22.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 €1,622

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 €1,569

$920 F CFA 518.8K

98.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,431 €2,951

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

49.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 €2,037

$707 F CFA 398.8K

234.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 124.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

14.75

-76.27%

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

Last update for El Medano: June 1, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in El Medano and $623 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in El Medano vs $54.0 in Abidjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $264 per month, with Abidjan 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

El Medano vs Abidjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abidjan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,017 in El Medano and $1,987 in Abidjan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in El Medano versus $623 in Abidjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abidjan – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $58.0 in El Medano. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,344 per month in El Medano versus $1,325 in Abidjan – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,325 in Abidjan versus $1,344 in El Medano, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abidjan but tight or insufficient in El Medano. The gap between the two cities makes Abidjan 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.

Safety-wise, El Medano and Abidjan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Abidjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in El Medano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.