Cost of Living Comparison Between Limbe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Limbe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $637 in Limbe versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $880 in Limbe versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,124 in Limbe versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Limbe costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Limbe 52% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 FCFA 2,453

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-27.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.08 FCFA 611

$1.71 COP 6,115

-36.84%

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

$1.61 FCFA 905

$1.10 COP 3,924

46.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 FCFA 512

$0.78 COP 2,781

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 FCFA 999

$1.68 COP 5,997

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 FCFA 1,477

$1.09 COP 3,906

140.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 FCFA 918

$1.38 COP 4,922

18.12%

Eggs

$2.15 FCFA 1,213

$2.19 COP 7,827

-1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 FCFA 5,354

$4.40 COP 15.7K

115.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 FCFA 2,778

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-12.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 FCFA 3,562

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-28.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 FCFA 1,117

$2.34 COP 8,349

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 FCFA 679

$1.06 COP 3,777

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 FCFA 1,120

$1.50 COP 5,374

32.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 FCFA 1,068

$1.38 COP 4,924

36.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 FCFA 1,102

$1.15 COP 4,111

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 FCFA 490

$0.89 COP 3,182

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 FCFA 1,020

$0.84 COP 2,997

115.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 FCFA 1,537

$2.28 COP 8,145

19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 FCFA 1,173

$1.20 COP 4,284

73.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 FCFA 1,477

$2.47 COP 8,824

6.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 FCFA 485

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.15 FCFA 14.7K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-36.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 FCFA 305

$1.47 COP 5,264

-63.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 FCFA 102

$1.96 COP 7,009

-90.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 FCFA 1,008

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-76.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 FCFA 653

$0.95 COP 3,409

22.11%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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)

$87.0 FCFA 49.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

5.73%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.1 FCFA 48.0K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

251.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.24 FCFA 24.4K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

67.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 FCFA 2,414

$3.93 COP 14.0K

8.91%

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

$349 FCFA 196.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

12.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,767 FCFA 996.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-70.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 FCFA 65.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-75.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 FCFA 63.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-70.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 FCFA 201.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-57.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 FCFA 112.9K

$724 COP 2.6M

-72.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Limbe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Limbe and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Limbe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Limbe and Medellin differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($637 vs $1,013 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $955 in Limbe and $1,519 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $117 in Limbe versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $349 in Limbe versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Limbe runs roughly 58% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $637 in Limbe versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Limbe but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Limbe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Limbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.