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: $924 in Limbe versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,560 in Limbe versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,197 in Limbe versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Limbe costs roughly 45% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Limbe is 32% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 FCFA 2,500

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-45.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 FCFA 71.2K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

160.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 FCFA 4,103

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-27.30%

Cappuccino

$1.11 FCFA 635

$3.13 COP 9,937

-64.54%

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

$1.56 FCFA 889

$1.91 COP 6,058

-18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 FCFA 466

$1.51 COP 4,794

-45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 FCFA 723

$3.12 COP 9,917

-59.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 FCFA 1,491

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-54.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 FCFA 1,519

$1.44 COP 4,587

84.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 255

$2.49 COP 7,894

-81.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 FCFA 952

$1.77 COP 5,631

-5.65%

Eggs

$1.99 FCFA 1,138

$2.96 COP 9,396

-32.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 FCFA 5,473

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-4.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 FCFA 2,746

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-52.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 FCFA 3,783

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-53.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 FCFA 1,124

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-52.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 FCFA 652

$1.61 COP 5,106

-29.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 FCFA 1,130

$2.25 COP 7,129

-12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 FCFA 812

$2.25 COP 7,150

-36.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 FCFA 1,137

$2.04 COP 6,486

-2.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 FCFA 1,273

$1.54 COP 4,873

44.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 FCFA 441

$1.17 COP 3,715

-34.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 FCFA 358

$1.31 COP 4,148

-51.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 FCFA 1,480

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-33.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 FCFA 4,984

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-37.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 FCFA 860

$1.74 COP 5,534

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 FCFA 1,068

$2.87 COP 9,112

-34.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 FCFA 483

$1.22 COP 3,858

-30.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.65 FCFA 15.2K

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-66.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 313

$1.31 COP 4,155

-58.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 FCFA 132

$2.19 COP 6,944

-89.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 FCFA 996

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-80.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 FCFA 650

$1.37 COP 4,334

-16.79%

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

$30.6K FCFA 17.4M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

9.84%

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

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-55.07%

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

$89.7 FCFA 51.2K

$177 COP 562.9K

-49.42%

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

$26.16 FCFA 14.9K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

88.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.2 FCFA 48.0K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

183.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.06 FCFA 25.1K

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-1.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 FCFA 2,554

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-32.78%

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

$348 FCFA 198.6K

$813 COP 2.6M

-57.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,747 FCFA 996.8K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-80.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 FCFA 47.4K

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-7.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.0 FCFA 38.8K

$59.0 COP 187.2K

15.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 82.7K

$138 COP 438.8K

4.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 FCFA 87.7K

$102 COP 324.2K

50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 FCFA 78.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

-79.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 FCFA 79.9K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-86.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

10.94

74.04%

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

Last update for Limbe: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $125 in Limbe vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $305, with Limbe cheaper for home cooking.

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 82% in total monthly costs ($924 vs $1,681 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,386 in Limbe and $2,521 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Limbe – a meal for two runs $125 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Limbe versus $1,681 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 82% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.