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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,511 per month in Kinshasa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Kinshasa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,559 per month in Kinshasa vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Kinshasa costs about 47% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kinshasa sits 13% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.81 CDF 33.3K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

140.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 CDF 193.5K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

164.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 CDF 29.6K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

79.56%

Cappuccino

$5.92 CDF 13.3K

$1.72 COP 5,599

244.19%

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

$1.87 CDF 4,210

$1.05 COP 3,420

78.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CDF 3,369

$0.77 COP 2,515

94.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 CDF 4,422

$1.69 COP 5,487

16.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CDF 9,208

$3.17 COP 10.3K

29.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 CDF 6,196

$1.05 COP 3,423

162.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 CDF 3,323

$1.30 COP 4,236

13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 CDF 5,456

$1.40 COP 4,544

73.57%

Eggs

$3.73 CDF 8,370

$2.16 COP 7,046

72.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 CDF 14.3K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

45.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 CDF 19.7K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

49.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 CDF 24.1K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

24.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 CDF 5,992

$2.28 COP 7,425

17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CDF 5,040

$1.11 COP 3,603

101.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CDF 8,029

$1.53 COP 4,982

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 CDF 6,598

$1.35 COP 4,410

117.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 CDF 6,290

$1.13 COP 3,674

147.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 CDF 7,228

$1.13 COP 3,692

184.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 CDF 3,157

$0.85 COP 2,753

65.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 CDF 1,951

$0.91 COP 2,975

-4.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 CDF 10.3K

$2.34 COP 7,629

96.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 CDF 35.6K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CDF 3,815

$1.20 COP 3,909

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 CDF 9,264

$2.49 COP 8,104

65.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 CDF 1,092

$0.84 COP 2,727

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.05 CDF 49.5K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-45.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 CDF 12.5K

$1.42 COP 4,623

290.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 CDF 2,901

$1.92 COP 6,235

-32.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 CDF 11.1K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-35.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CDF 3,052

$0.99 COP 3,223

37.37%

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

$45.0K CDF 101.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

149.68%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$85.2 CDF 191.5K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

5.46%

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

$27.60 CDF 62.0K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

177.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.1 CDF 204.7K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

276.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.1 CDF 161.9K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

187.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CDF 47.7K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

10.91%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 CDF 33.9K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

279.15%

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

$714 CDF 1.6M

$305 COP 993.4K

134.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,745 CDF 10.7M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-21.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.73 CDF 102.7K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 CDF 87.9K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

21.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CDF 254.7K

$101 COP 327.9K

12.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CDF 226.8K

$108 COP 350.8K

-6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 CDF 3.7M

$477 COP 1.6M

244.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 CDF 1.1M

$376 COP 1.2M

24.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,022 CDF 6.8M

$845 COP 2.7M

257.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CDF 2.4M

$730 COP 2.4M

43.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,070 CDF 11.4M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

57.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 CDF 2.8M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-8.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 CDF 800.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

-42.25%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,641 in Kinshasa versus $477 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 73% 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 $86.0 in Kinshasa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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

Kinshasa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,511 in Kinshasa, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 47% apart. Kinshasa costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,266 per month in Kinshasa and $1,546 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 $86.0 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 $1,511 in Kinshasa and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Kinshasa at $1,511. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,511 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.