Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goma and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Goma and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Goma and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $430 per month in Goma vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

Goma $430
Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $751 per month in Goma vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

Goma $751
Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,071 per month in Goma vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

Goma $1,071
Medellin $3,190

Goma is about 73% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Goma sits 68% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

$7.93 COP 25.2K

88.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

$46.13 COP 146.3K

-1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

$9.50 COP 30.1K

7.26%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CDF 7,960

$3.11 COP 9,866

12.86%

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

$1.03 CDF 2,331

$1.83 COP 5,800

-43.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CDF 2,292

$1.38 COP 4,360

-26.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 CDF 2,685

$3.05 COP 9,672

-60.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

$5.50 COP 17.4K

-8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 CDF 2,211

$1.45 COP 4,600

-32.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CDF 2,758

$1.68 COP 5,328

-27.38%

Eggs

$1.60 CDF 3,625

$2.86 COP 9,077

-44.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

$10.19 COP 32.3K

-40.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 CDF 5,814

$9.53 COP 30.2K

-73.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

$14.04 COP 44.5K

-64.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 CDF 4,470

$4.07 COP 12.9K

-51.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CDF 3,448

$2.17 COP 6,891

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 CDF 1,165

$1.93 COP 6,113

-73.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CDF 1,552

$1.25 COP 3,954

-44.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CDF 4,567

$1.70 COP 5,384

18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CDF 5,698

$2.37 COP 7,525

6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

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

$172 COP 545.6K

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

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

$13.37 COP 42.4K

10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

$28.73 COP 91.1K

110.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

$45.24 COP 143.5K

-32.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

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

$770 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Goma

–

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Groceries & Markets

Goma

–

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Goma

–

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Goma

–

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Eating Out

Goma

–

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Getting Around

Goma

–

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Goma

–

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Goma versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $295 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇩 Goma

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

01:08 1:08 AM

18:08 6:08 PM

7 h behind Goma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CDF – Congolese Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇩 Congolese Franc (Fr)

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to CDF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Goma Medellin 11,670 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Goma
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Goma vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 276% more than Goma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $645 per month in Goma and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $430 in Goma and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 276%.

Groceries cost about 173% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Goma, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goma costs $430 versus $1,614 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Goma. 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.