Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $532 per month in Elmina vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $903 per month in Elmina vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,274 per month in Elmina vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Elmina is about 47% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Elmina and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 60% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 GHS 50.7

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-28.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.20 GHS 554

$32.86 COP 117.4K

43.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 GHS 92.9

$7.09 COP 25.3K

11.57%

Cappuccino

$3.49 GHS 40.97

$1.71 COP 6,115

104.09%

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

$0.93 GHS 10.87

$1.10 COP 3,924

-15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 4.05

$0.78 COP 2,781

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 GHS 18.37

$1.68 COP 5,997

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 GHS 30.01

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.45 GHS 40.52

$1.09 COP 3,906

216.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 GHS 16.81

$1.26 COP 4,508

13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 GHS 27.59

$1.38 COP 4,922

70.29%

Eggs

$2.30 GHS 26.98

$2.19 COP 7,827

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 GHS 133

$4.40 COP 15.7K

157.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 GHS 56.2

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-14.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 GHS 70.5

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-32.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 GHS 33.93

$2.34 COP 8,349

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 GHS 16.81

$1.06 COP 3,777

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 GHS 19.83

$1.50 COP 5,374

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 GHS 37.48

$1.38 COP 4,924

131.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 GHS 36.34

$1.15 COP 4,111

169.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 GHS 28.55

$1.16 COP 4,155

109.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 GHS 9.00

$0.89 COP 3,182

-13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 GHS 6.03

$0.84 COP 2,997

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.59 GHS 18.62

$2.28 COP 8,145

-30.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.05 GHS 82.8

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-33.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 13.16

$1.20 COP 4,284

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 GHS 22.68

$2.47 COP 8,824

-21.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 GHS 18.18

$1.47 COP 5,264

5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 GHS 14.18

$1.96 COP 7,009

-38.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 GHS 63.3

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-30.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 GHS 12.59

$0.95 COP 3,409

12.63%

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

$7,843 GHS 92.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-56.74%

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

$9,458 GHS 111.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-64.29%

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

$54.7 GHS 642

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-33.56%

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

$13.44 GHS 158

$9.50 COP 33.9K

41.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.50 GHS 440

$24.23 COP 86.5K

54.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 GHS 114

$3.93 COP 14.0K

146.82%

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

$73.4 GHS 861

$309 COP 1.1M

-76.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,040 GHS 94.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

34.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.53 GHS 171

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-75.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.52 GHS 217

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-42.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.62 GHS 348

$103 COP 366.4K

-71.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.75 GHS 478

$108 COP 387.2K

-62.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

13.43

89.13%

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

Last update for Elmina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Elmina versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $188 – 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

Elmina vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $798 per month in Elmina and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Elmina and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $532, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.