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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Elmina vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Elmina vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Elmina vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Elmina is about 60% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Elmina sits 50% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 GHS 92.0

$8.03 COP 25.2K

1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 GHS 604

$48.26 COP 151.7K

10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 GHS 122

$9.77 COP 30.7K

10.64%

Cappuccino

$4.72 GHS 53.3

$2.91 COP 9,149

62.20%

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

$1.65 GHS 18.66

$1.94 COP 6,110

-14.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.48

$1.52 COP 4,783

-67.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 GHS 21.01

$3.09 COP 9,721

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 GHS 25.65

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-60.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 GHS 43.11

$1.36 COP 4,287

180.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 GHS 20.34

$2.39 COP 7,505

-24.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 GHS 35.48

$1.70 COP 5,346

84.71%

Eggs

$2.71 GHS 30.61

$2.87 COP 9,021

-5.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 GHS 142

$9.94 COP 31.2K

26.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 GHS 84.6

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 GHS 116

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-30.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 GHS 42.55

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 GHS 16.63

$1.57 COP 4,940

-6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 GHS 21.06

$2.13 COP 6,682

-12.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.42

$2.21 COP 6,959

69.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 GHS 31.80

$2.05 COP 6,435

37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 30.84

$1.50 COP 4,728

82.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 GHS 8.78

$1.19 COP 3,740

-34.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GHS 6.95

$1.16 COP 3,640

-46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 GHS 29.23

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-33.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 GHS 80.9

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-50.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 GHS 14.93

$1.58 COP 4,978

-16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 GHS 27.75

$2.83 COP 8,889

-13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 GHS 19.53

$1.28 COP 4,038

35.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 GHS 14.59

$2.09 COP 6,576

-38.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 GHS 49.50

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-49.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 GHS 15.73

$1.30 COP 4,080

6.92%

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

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-71.06%

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

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-71.09%

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

$74.0 GHS 836

$176 COP 553.4K

-58.00%

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

$19.52 GHS 221

$13.37 COP 42.0K

46.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.23 GHS 489

$29.89 COP 94.0K

44.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 GHS 148

$6.20 COP 19.5K

111.29%

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

$468 GHS 5,294

$793 COP 2.5M

-40.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

104.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 GHS 165

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-82.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 GHS 220

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-66.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.21 GHS 420

$136 COP 428.4K

-72.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 GHS 621

$103 COP 324.1K

-46.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

10.94

144.52%

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

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Elmina versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Elmina vs $303 in Medellin – so Elmina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 152%, 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 $1,021 per month in Elmina and $2,574 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 $53.0 in Elmina and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.