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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Kinshasa vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,046 per month in Kinshasa vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,334 per month in Kinshasa vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Kinshasa costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kinshasa and Medellin sit above the global median – Kinshasa by 28%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 CDF 40.0K

$8.03 COP 25.2K

120.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 CDF 192.7K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

76.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.78 CDF 33.5K

$9.77 COP 30.7K

51.28%

Cappuccino

$6.70 CDF 15.2K

$2.91 COP 9,149

130.24%

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

$2.77 CDF 6,281

$1.94 COP 6,110

42.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CDF 4,628

$1.52 COP 4,783

34.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 CDF 5,505

$3.09 COP 9,721

-21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 CDF 10.5K

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-19.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.24 CDF 7,337

$1.36 COP 4,287

138.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 CDF 4,971

$2.39 COP 7,505

-7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 CDF 7,350

$1.70 COP 5,346

91.18%

Eggs

$3.93 CDF 8,904

$2.87 COP 9,021

36.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 CDF 22.1K

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 CDF 37.4K

$10.78 COP 33.9K

53.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.35 CDF 28.0K

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CDF 8,191

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 CDF 7,008

$1.57 COP 4,940

97.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 CDF 9,873

$2.13 COP 6,682

104.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CDF 9,554

$2.21 COP 6,959

90.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 CDF 7,554

$2.05 COP 6,435

62.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,752

$1.50 COP 4,728

98.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CDF 4,648

$1.19 COP 3,740

72.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CDF 3,273

$1.16 COP 3,640

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 CDF 10.1K

$3.90 COP 12.2K

14.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.94 CDF 36.1K

$14.44 COP 45.4K

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CDF 4,652

$1.58 COP 4,978

30.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 CDF 9,185

$2.83 COP 8,889

43.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 CDF 1,080

$1.17 COP 3,672

-58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.49 CDF 48.6K

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-72.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 CDF 12.3K

$1.28 COP 4,038

325.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 CDF 2,976

$2.09 COP 6,576

-37.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 CDF 11.1K

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-43.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 CDF 3,848

$1.30 COP 4,080

30.77%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$85.8 CDF 194.2K

$176 COP 553.4K

-51.28%

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

$27.91 CDF 63.2K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

108.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 CDF 155.0K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

129.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 CDF 175.4K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

73.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.96 CDF 49.7K

$17.06 COP 53.6K

28.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 CDF 34.0K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

142.26%

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

$567 CDF 1.3M

$793 COP 2.5M

-28.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CDF 24.8M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

21.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.73 CDF 103.5K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-46.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 CDF 89.4K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-32.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 CDF 260.3K

$136 COP 428.4K

-15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CDF 279.5K

$103 COP 324.1K

19.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 CDF 3.9M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

60.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 CDF 1.3M

$680 COP 2.1M

-18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,192 CDF 9.5M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

108.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 CDF 3.4M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

30.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,030 CDF 11.4M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

22.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 CDF 2.8M

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-27.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 CDF 802.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

-46.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

27.97%

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

Last update for Kinshasa: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,704 in Kinshasa versus $1,060 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 88% 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 $85.0 in Kinshasa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $303 – 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: $1,758 in Kinshasa, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 2% apart. Kinshasa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Kinshasa and $2,574 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 $85.0 in Kinshasa and $48.00 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 $1,758 in Kinshasa and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Kinshasa at $1,758. 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 $1,716 in Medellin to $1,758 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.