Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Luanda and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Luanda: $999 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Luanda
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Luanda Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Luanda

🇦🇴 Angola

$999

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Luanda and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Luanda and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Luanda versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Luanda $999
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,888 in Luanda versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Luanda $1,888
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,776 in Luanda versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Luanda $2,776
Medellin $3,186

Living in Luanda costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Luanda is 27% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 AOA 4,914

$8.09 COP 26.1K

-33.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.05 AOA 33.8K

$47.05 COP 151.9K

-21.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 AOA 6,044

$9.50 COP 30.7K

-30.32%

Cappuccino

$2.67 AOA 2,438

$3.01 COP 9,735

-11.30%

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

$1.34 AOA 1,223

$1.80 COP 5,809

-25.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 AOA 1,105

$1.41 COP 4,561

-14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 AOA 1,518

$3.18 COP 10.3K

-47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 AOA 1,507

$5.75 COP 18.6K

-71.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 AOA 1,803

$1.51 COP 4,876

30.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 AOA 890

$2.38 COP 7,678

-59.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 AOA 1,462

$1.77 COP 5,720

-9.60%

Eggs

$1.81 AOA 1,653

$2.89 COP 9,333

-37.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 AOA 8,534

$10.19 COP 32.9K

-8.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 AOA 3,145

$9.87 COP 31.9K

-65.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 AOA 6,893

$13.99 COP 45.2K

-46.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 AOA 2,113

$3.97 COP 12.8K

-41.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 AOA 916

$1.55 COP 5,012

-35.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 AOA 2,508

$2.18 COP 7,048

26.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 AOA 1,622

$2.18 COP 7,051

-18.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 AOA 1,373

$1.96 COP 6,337

-23.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 AOA 1,439

$1.59 COP 5,132

-0.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 AOA 1,540

$1.15 COP 3,699

46.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 AOA 331

$1.24 COP 4,014

-70.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 AOA 1,532

$3.96 COP 12.8K

-57.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 AOA 5,440

$13.68 COP 44.2K

-56.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 AOA 416

$1.66 COP 5,359

-72.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 AOA 853

$2.26 COP 7,291

-58.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 AOA 191

$1.17 COP 3,771

-82.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.63 AOA 28.9K

$77.4 COP 249.8K

-59.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 AOA 977

$1.27 COP 4,094

-15.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 AOA 832

$2.05 COP 6,612

-55.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 AOA 5,072

$8.55 COP 27.6K

-34.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 AOA 290

$1.35 COP 4,349

-76.30%

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

$14.3K AOA 13.0M

$34.1K COP 110.0M

-58.11%

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

$22.5K AOA 20.6M

$34.7K COP 111.9M

-35.00%

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

$101 AOA 92.0K

$170 COP 547.8K

-40.57%

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

$17.67 AOA 16.1K

$13.55 COP 43.8K

30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 AOA 71.3K

$28.07 COP 90.6K

178.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.07 AOA 42.0K

$43.70 COP 141.1K

5.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 AOA 13.9K

$17.19 COP 55.5K

-11.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 AOA 3,257

$6.91 COP 22.3K

-48.34%

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

$778 AOA 710.1K

$797 COP 2.6M

-2.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K AOA 12.2M

$9,112 COP 29.4M

46.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 AOA 97.7K

$84.7 COP 273.5K

26.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 AOA 58.1K

$58.0 COP 187.2K

9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 AOA 88.5K

$135 COP 435.8K

-28.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 AOA 185.3K

$97.9 COP 316.0K

107.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 AOA 352.2K

$1,208 COP 3.9M

-68.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 AOA 181.9K

$642 COP 2.1M

-68.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 AOA 1.9M

$2,028 COP 6.5M

3.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 AOA 955.7K

$1,012 COP 3.3M

3.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K AOA 10.9M

$4,170 COP 13.5M

185.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$885 AOA 807.4K

$1,910 COP 6.2M

-53.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,425 AOA 1.3M

$657 COP 2.1M

116.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

91.96%

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

Last update for Luanda: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Clothing & Footwear

Luanda

$212 21.2%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 20.2% $43

Accommodation & Living

Luanda

$199 19.9%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 222% $442

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Luanda

$197 19.7%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 7.4% $15

Groceries & Markets

Luanda

$183 18.4%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 61.9% $114

Eating Out

Luanda

$117 11.7%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 45.2% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Luanda

$53 5.3%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 8.1% $4.3

Getting Around

Luanda

$38 3.8%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 146% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Luanda and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays about 2.2 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37 in Luanda vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $297 per month, with Luanda cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇴 Luanda

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

05:02 5:02 AM

23:02 11:02 PM

6 h behind Luanda

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,600,000 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Angolan Kwanza AOA Kz

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 AOA = 10.96 USD

10,000 AOA = 9.81 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to AOA – Angolan Kwanza Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇴 Angolan Kwanza (Kz)

Angolan Kwanza exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 913 AOA (1,000 AOA = 1.1 USD). 1 EUR = 1,019 AOA (10,000 AOA = 9.81 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

USD to AOA in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Luanda Medellin 9,990 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Luanda
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $999 in Luanda and $1,639 in Medellin, so Luanda is about 39% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Luanda is about 2.2 times higher, 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: $386 in Luanda versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Luanda runs roughly 59% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $778 in Luanda versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $999 in Luanda versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Luanda but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Luanda 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 Luanda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.