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: $1,255 in Luanda versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,347 in Luanda versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,439 in Luanda versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Luanda is roughly 23% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Luanda 7% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 AOA 5,234

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-3.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.56 AOA 43.4K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

42.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.06 AOA 7,356

$7.23 COP 25.2K

11.48%

Cappuccino

$3.53 AOA 3,222

$1.63 COP 5,687

116.56%

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

$1.61 AOA 1,474

$1.09 COP 3,821

47.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 AOA 964

$0.73 COP 2,548

45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 AOA 1,394

$1.74 COP 6,065

-12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 AOA 1,577

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-46.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 AOA 1,830

$1.05 COP 3,662

90.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 AOA 1,107

$1.29 COP 4,515

-6.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 AOA 1,261

$1.32 COP 4,617

4.55%

Eggs

$2.14 AOA 1,957

$2.27 COP 7,927

-5.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 AOA 11.2K

$4.35 COP 15.2K

182.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 AOA 5,308

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.00 AOA 9,127

$8.61 COP 30.0K

16.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 AOA 2,325

$2.25 COP 7,844

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 AOA 971

$1.07 COP 3,733

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 AOA 2,847

$1.52 COP 5,322

105.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 AOA 1,934

$1.42 COP 4,964

49.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 AOA 1,591

$1.17 COP 4,084

48.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 AOA 1,387

$1.17 COP 4,077

29.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 AOA 1,791

$0.89 COP 3,096

120.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 AOA 413

$0.90 COP 3,146

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 AOA 2,136

$2.25 COP 7,837

4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 AOA 5,577

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-44.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 AOA 508

$1.14 COP 3,977

-50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 AOA 1,151

$2.38 COP 8,301

-47.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 AOA 304

$0.84 COP 2,916

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.72 AOA 29.9K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-22.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 AOA 1,111

$1.41 COP 4,912

-13.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 AOA 783

$1.90 COP 6,634

-54.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 AOA 5,349

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-24.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.39 AOA 354

$1.01 COP 3,509

-61.39%

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

$20.1K AOA 18.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

14.07%

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

$28.6K AOA 26.1M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

8.09%

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

$97.8 AOA 89.3K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

16.87%

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

$19.81 AOA 18.1K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

109.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 AOA 119.2K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

441.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.45 AOA 39.7K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

71.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.30 AOA 13.1K

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-25.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 AOA 4,023

$4.10 COP 14.3K

7.56%

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

$695 AOA 634.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

122.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K AOA 13.7M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

149.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.8 AOA 87.5K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

65.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 AOA 71.3K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

139.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 AOA 118.0K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

29.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$257 AOA 234.7K

$109 COP 378.8K

136.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 AOA 484.4K

$482 COP 1.7M

9.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 AOA 266.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 AOA 2.2M

$837 COP 2.9M

183.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 AOA 1.2M

$723 COP 2.5M

84.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K AOA 11.1M

$2,840 COP 9.9M

329.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$883 AOA 806.3K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-27.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,382 AOA 1.3M

$541 COP 1.9M

155.60%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Luanda and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays 156% 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 $223 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,255 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Luanda pays 156% 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: $530 in Luanda versus $482 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 28% less than in Luanda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $695 in Luanda versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,255 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 23% less than in Luanda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.