Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinshasa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinshasa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,504 per month in Kinshasa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,504 per month in Kinshasa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,504 per month in Kinshasa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Kinshasa costs about 49% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kinshasa sits 12% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 CDF 34.2K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

151.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.0 CDF 197.6K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

164.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 CDF 29.1K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

80.68%

Cappuccino

$6.04 CDF 13.7K

$1.71 COP 6,115

253.22%

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

$1.87 CDF 4,234

$1.10 COP 3,924

70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CDF 3,423

$0.78 COP 2,781

93.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 CDF 4,586

$1.68 COP 5,997

20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CDF 8,885

$3.07 COP 11.0K

27.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 CDF 6,013

$1.09 COP 3,906

143.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 CDF 3,262

$1.26 COP 4,508

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 CDF 5,462

$1.38 COP 4,922

74.64%

Eggs

$3.58 CDF 8,138

$2.19 COP 7,827

63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 CDF 14.3K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

42.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 CDF 19.9K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

55.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 CDF 24.2K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 CDF 6,256

$2.34 COP 8,349

17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CDF 5,205

$1.06 COP 3,777

116.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 CDF 8,288

$1.50 COP 5,374

143.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 CDF 6,437

$1.38 COP 4,924

105.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 CDF 6,387

$1.15 COP 4,111

144.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 CDF 7,311

$1.16 COP 4,155

177.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CDF 3,071

$0.89 COP 3,182

51.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 CDF 1,815

$0.84 COP 2,997

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 CDF 10.3K

$2.28 COP 8,145

98.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.92 CDF 36.1K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

49.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CDF 3,893

$1.20 COP 4,284

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 CDF 9,897

$2.47 COP 8,824

76.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 CDF 1,081

$0.86 COP 3,056

-44.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 CDF 48.6K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-48.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 CDF 12.1K

$1.47 COP 5,264

263.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CDF 2,856

$1.96 COP 7,009

-35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-35.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CDF 3,180

$0.95 COP 3,409

47.37%

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

$45.0K CDF 102.2M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

148.43%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$87.9 CDF 199.6K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

6.92%

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

$27.41 CDF 62.2K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

188.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.0 CDF 206.6K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

275.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.3 CDF 166.3K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

182.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.85 CDF 49.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

15.00%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 CDF 34.5K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

287.02%

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

$733 CDF 1.7M

$309 COP 1.1M

137.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,788 CDF 10.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-19.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.66 CDF 103.7K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-22.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.11 CDF 88.8K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

20.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 CDF 257.8K

$103 COP 366.4K

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CDF 231.3K

$108 COP 387.2K

-6.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,634 CDF 3.7M

$476 COP 1.7M

243.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 CDF 1.1M

$379 COP 1.4M

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,111 CDF 7.1M

$838 COP 3.0M

271.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 CDF 2.4M

$724 COP 2.6M

48.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,920 CDF 11.2M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

76.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 CDF 2.8M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

2.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 CDF 801.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-31.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

26.58%

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

Last update for Kinshasa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,634 in Kinshasa versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Kinshasa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 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

Kinshasa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,504 in Kinshasa, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 49% apart. Kinshasa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,256 per month in Kinshasa and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Kinshasa and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,504 in Kinshasa and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Kinshasa at $1,504. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinshasa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,504 in Kinshasa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kinshasa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.