Cost of Living Comparison Between Luanda and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Luanda and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,251 in Luanda versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,350 in Luanda versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,449 in Luanda versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Luanda is roughly 21% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Luanda 7% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.01 AOA 5,550

$5.92 COP 21.4K

1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.20 AOA 44.5K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

47.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 AOA 7,274

$7.20 COP 26.0K

9.31%

Cappuccino

$3.65 AOA 3,367

$1.70 COP 6,140

114.71%

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

$1.66 AOA 1,536

$1.10 COP 3,966

50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 AOA 974

$0.72 COP 2,605

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 AOA 1,459

$1.67 COP 6,022

-5.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 AOA 1,650

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-42.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 AOA 1,840

$1.06 COP 3,809

87.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 AOA 1,069

$1.25 COP 4,497

-7.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 AOA 1,314

$1.39 COP 5,022

2.16%

Eggs

$2.13 AOA 1,965

$2.26 COP 8,168

-5.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.42 AOA 11.5K

$4.33 COP 15.6K

186.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 AOA 5,385

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 AOA 8,895

$8.83 COP 31.9K

9.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 AOA 2,335

$2.24 COP 8,099

12.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 AOA 1,017

$1.08 COP 3,882

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 AOA 2,862

$1.53 COP 5,522

102.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 AOA 1,883

$1.37 COP 4,950

48.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 AOA 1,620

$1.13 COP 4,078

54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 AOA 1,425

$1.12 COP 4,036

37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 AOA 1,814

$0.85 COP 3,057

130.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 AOA 386

$0.91 COP 3,281

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 AOA 2,136

$2.33 COP 8,414

-0.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.45 AOA 6,885

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-33.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 AOA 548

$1.19 COP 4,309

-50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 AOA 1,216

$2.37 COP 8,553

-44.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 AOA 311

$0.79 COP 2,838

-56.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.06 AOA 30.5K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-19.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 AOA 1,074

$1.44 COP 5,184

-19.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 AOA 829

$1.91 COP 6,901

-52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 AOA 5,477

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 AOA 326

$0.94 COP 3,385

-62.77%

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

$20.1K AOA 18.6M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

12.17%

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

$28.4K AOA 26.2M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

5.95%

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

$97.2 AOA 89.8K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

15.77%

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

$20.53 AOA 19.0K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

113.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 AOA 122.9K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

450.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 AOA 40.5K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

69.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 AOA 13.3K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-24.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 AOA 4,258

$3.92 COP 14.1K

17.60%

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

$705 AOA 651.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

130.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K AOA 13.8M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

153.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 AOA 89.2K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

66.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 AOA 72.0K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

144.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 AOA 120.6K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

30.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$258 AOA 238.6K

$107 COP 386.8K

141.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 AOA 480.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 AOA 265.5K

$368 COP 1.3M

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,356 AOA 2.2M

$826 COP 3.0M

185.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 AOA 1.2M

$716 COP 2.6M

84.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K AOA 11.9M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

340.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 AOA 812.7K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-37.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,400 AOA 1.3M

$546 COP 2.0M

156.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

78.70%

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

Last update for Luanda: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Luanda and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays 157% 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: $48.00 in Luanda vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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

Luanda vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Luanda and Medellin differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,251 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Luanda pays 157% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $520 in Luanda versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 24% less than in Luanda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $705 in Luanda versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,251 in Luanda, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Luanda. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Luanda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.