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: $1,228 in Luanda versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Luanda versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,426 in Luanda versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Luanda is roughly 22% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Luanda 8% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 AOA 5,468

$5.91 COP 18.4K

1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.01 AOA 43.8K

$32.96 COP 102.7K

45.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 AOA 7,052

$7.43 COP 23.1K

4.04%

Cappuccino

$3.66 AOA 3,336

$1.65 COP 5,153

121.82%

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

$1.62 AOA 1,477

$1.10 COP 3,432

47.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 AOA 974

$0.78 COP 2,433

37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 AOA 1,441

$1.72 COP 5,356

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 AOA 1,650

$3.18 COP 9,904

-43.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 AOA 1,793

$1.10 COP 3,439

79.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 AOA 1,063

$1.26 COP 3,921

-7.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 AOA 1,257

$1.38 COP 4,304

Eggs

$2.18 AOA 1,993

$2.18 COP 6,788

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 AOA 11.5K

$4.49 COP 14.0K

180.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 AOA 5,335

$5.79 COP 18.0K

1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 AOA 8,906

$8.97 COP 27.9K

8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 AOA 2,348

$2.32 COP 7,232

10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 AOA 976

$1.06 COP 3,318

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 AOA 2,818

$1.52 COP 4,725

103.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 AOA 1,932

$1.36 COP 4,226

55.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 AOA 1,585

$1.13 COP 3,515

53.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 AOA 1,438

$1.17 COP 3,651

35.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 AOA 1,779

$0.90 COP 2,809

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 AOA 388

$0.90 COP 2,794

-52.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 AOA 2,135

$2.23 COP 6,961

4.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 AOA 5,340

$12.12 COP 37.8K

-51.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 AOA 519

$1.19 COP 3,704

-52.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 AOA 1,194

$2.48 COP 7,735

-47.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 AOA 335

$0.85 COP 2,660

-56.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.15 AOA 30.2K

$41.62 COP 129.7K

-20.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 AOA 1,061

$1.42 COP 4,413

-18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 AOA 839

$1.95 COP 6,078

-52.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 AOA 5,534

$7.89 COP 24.6K

-23.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 AOA 349

$0.99 COP 3,086

-61.62%

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

$19.8K AOA 18.0M

$17.6K COP 54.8M

12.32%

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

$28.4K AOA 25.9M

$26.8K COP 83.5M

5.87%

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

$94.4 AOA 86.1K

$83.0 COP 258.7K

13.67%

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

$19.93 AOA 18.2K

$9.70 COP 30.2K

105.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$132 AOA 120.5K

$23.52 COP 73.3K

461.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 AOA 38.9K

$25.26 COP 78.7K

68.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 AOA 13.0K

$19.10 COP 59.5K

-25.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 AOA 3,978

$3.95 COP 12.3K

10.38%

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

$691 AOA 630.9K

$316 COP 984.0K

118.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K AOA 13.5M

$5,975 COP 18.6M

147.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 AOA 87.3K

$60.0 COP 187.0K

59.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 AOA 71.1K

$31.82 COP 99.1K

144.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 AOA 118.8K

$102 COP 316.8K

28.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$251 AOA 229.0K

$107 COP 334.8K

133.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 AOA 471.8K

$475 COP 1.5M

8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 AOA 263.0K

$374 COP 1.2M

-22.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 AOA 2.2M

$849 COP 2.6M

181.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 AOA 1.2M

$719 COP 2.2M

88.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K AOA 10.9M

$3,265 COP 10.2M

264.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$873 AOA 796.6K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-39.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,405 AOA 1.3M

$624 COP 1.9M

124.97%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Luanda and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays 125% 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 $222 vs $193 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,228 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 125% higher in Luanda, 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: $517 in Luanda versus $475 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 26% less than in Luanda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $691 in Luanda versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,228 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 22% less than in Luanda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.