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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Elmina vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Elmina vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,284 per month in Elmina vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Elmina is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Elmina and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 61% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 GHS 51.4

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-27.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.28 GHS 558

$32.60 COP 106.1K

48.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 GHS 90.0

$7.34 COP 23.9K

6.13%

Cappuccino

$3.54 GHS 40.94

$1.72 COP 5,600

105.81%

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

$0.92 GHS 10.68

$1.05 COP 3,420

-12.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 3.96

$0.77 COP 2,515

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.20

$1.69 COP 5,488

-6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 GHS 28.60

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-21.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 GHS 40.09

$1.05 COP 3,423

230.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 GHS 16.80

$1.30 COP 4,236

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 GHS 27.33

$1.40 COP 4,544

69.29%

Eggs

$2.40 GHS 27.70

$2.16 COP 7,047

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 GHS 128

$4.39 COP 14.3K

151.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 GHS 52.4

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-22.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 GHS 67.2

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-32.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 GHS 33.62

$2.28 COP 7,426

27.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 GHS 16.13

$1.11 COP 3,604

26.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 19.69

$1.53 COP 4,983

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 GHS 37.02

$1.35 COP 4,410

137.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 GHS 34.64

$1.13 COP 3,674

165.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 GHS 28.15

$1.13 COP 3,692

115.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 GHS 8.69

$0.85 COP 2,753

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.61

$0.91 COP 2,975

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.65 GHS 19.05

$2.34 COP 7,630

-29.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 GHS 85.8

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-40.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 GHS 12.85

$1.20 COP 3,909

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 GHS 22.64

$2.49 COP 8,104

-21.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 GHS 18.65

$1.42 COP 4,623

14.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 13.54

$1.92 COP 6,235

-39.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 GHS 63.2

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-28.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 GHS 12.59

$0.99 COP 3,223

10.10%

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

$8,156 GHS 94.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-54.76%

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

$9,546 GHS 110.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-64.15%

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

$56.5 GHS 652

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-30.14%

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

$13.33 GHS 154

$9.95 COP 32.4K

33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 GHS 443

$24.18 COP 78.7K

58.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 GHS 115

$3.98 COP 13.0K

149.25%

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

$71.4 GHS 825

$305 COP 993.5K

-76.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,919 GHS 91.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

30.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.66 GHS 169

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-74.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.23 GHS 222

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-40.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.80 GHS 333

$101 COP 327.9K

-71.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.81 GHS 483

$108 COP 350.8K

-61.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Elmina versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $193 – 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 96%, 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 $789 per month in Elmina and $1,546 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 $48.00 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 22% 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 $526, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.