Cost of Living Comparison Between Lome and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lome and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $590 in Lome versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,024 in Lome versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,458 in Lome versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Lome costs roughly 64% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lome is 57% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.09 F CFA 1,743

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-61.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 F CFA 18.2K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-33.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 F CFA 3,186

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-40.13%

Cappuccino

$6.16 F CFA 3,481

$2.94 COP 9,040

109.52%

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

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

$1.86 COP 5,735

129.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 F CFA 415

$1.46 COP 4,479

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 F CFA 527

$3.21 COP 9,882

-71.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,010

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-68.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 F CFA 1,291

$1.44 COP 4,428

58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 F CFA 762

$2.40 COP 7,389

-43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 F CFA 859

$1.70 COP 5,228

-10.59%

Eggs

$2.02 F CFA 1,139

$2.89 COP 8,896

-30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 F CFA 3,288

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-59.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 F CFA 1,774

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-21.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 F CFA 991

$1.58 COP 4,878

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 F CFA 1,481

$2.30 COP 7,078

13.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 F CFA 977

$2.00 COP 6,169

-13.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 F CFA 692

$1.51 COP 4,646

-19.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 F CFA 520

$1.28 COP 3,946

-28.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 F CFA 2,783

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-64.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 F CFA 658

$1.71 COP 5,256

-32.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 F CFA 827

$2.74 COP 8,440

-46.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 F CFA 681

$2.17 COP 6,680

-44.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 F CFA 2,497

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-46.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 F CFA 671

$1.36 COP 4,172

-12.50%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$148 F CFA 83.8K

$169 COP 519.2K

-12.09%

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

$22.34 F CFA 12.6K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

64.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 F CFA 24.9K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

55.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 F CFA 34.8K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

34.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 F CFA 5,090

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-47.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 F CFA 2,547

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-32.18%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 F CFA 691.5K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-36.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 F CFA 170.3K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-71.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 F CFA 174.6K

$655 COP 2.0M

-52.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Lome: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 112% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lome vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $145 vs $300 per month, with Lome cheaper across the board.

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

Lome vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lome wins on cost – living expenses run 178% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $590 per month in Lome versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $590 in Lome versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lome but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lome hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Lome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.