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: $666 in Limbe versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $927 in Limbe versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,188 in Limbe versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Limbe costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Limbe 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 FCFA 2,566

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-27.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.13 FCFA 646

$1.72 COP 5,600

-34.30%

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

$1.64 FCFA 939

$1.05 COP 3,420

56.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 496

$0.77 COP 2,515

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 FCFA 1,037

$1.69 COP 5,488

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 FCFA 1,533

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 FCFA 1,500

$1.05 COP 3,423

149.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 FCFA 965

$1.40 COP 4,544

20.00%

Eggs

$2.18 FCFA 1,248

$2.16 COP 7,047

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 FCFA 5,476

$4.39 COP 14.3K

117.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 FCFA 2,824

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-16.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 FCFA 3,691

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-25.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 FCFA 1,128

$2.28 COP 7,426

-13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 FCFA 662

$1.11 COP 3,604

3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 FCFA 1,104

$1.53 COP 4,983

25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 FCFA 1,143

$1.35 COP 4,410

47.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 FCFA 1,126

$1.13 COP 3,674

73.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 FCFA 529

$0.85 COP 2,753

8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 FCFA 1,025

$0.91 COP 2,975

96.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 FCFA 1,562

$2.34 COP 7,630

16.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 FCFA 5,059

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-28.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 FCFA 1,124

$1.20 COP 3,909

63.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 FCFA 1,502

$2.49 COP 8,104

5.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 FCFA 514

$0.84 COP 2,728

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 FCFA 15.0K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-35.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 FCFA 311

$1.42 COP 4,623

-61.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 FCFA 121

$1.92 COP 6,235

-89.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 FCFA 1,035

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-76.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 FCFA 685

$0.99 COP 3,223

20.20%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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)

$89.3 FCFA 51.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

10.51%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.2 FCFA 48.9K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

252.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 FCFA 25.4K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

76.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 FCFA 2,508

$3.98 COP 13.0K

9.80%

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

$356 FCFA 204.4K

$305 COP 993.5K

16.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,798 FCFA 1.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-70.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 FCFA 67.1K

$477 COP 1.6M

-75.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 FCFA 65.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

-69.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 FCFA 204.3K

$845 COP 2.7M

-57.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 FCFA 118.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-71.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Limbe and $477 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 55% in total monthly costs ($666 vs $1,031 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,000 in Limbe and $1,546 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 $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $356 in Limbe versus $305 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 55% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Limbe versus $1,031 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 55% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.