Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Malabo vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,146 per month in Malabo vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,613 per month in Malabo vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Malabo is about 60% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Malabo sits 51% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 FCFA 4,927

$8.03 COP 25.1K

8.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 FCFA 40.0K

$48.26 COP 150.8K

47.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 FCFA 4,994

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-9.42%

Cappuccino

$4.80 FCFA 2,710

$2.91 COP 9,095

64.95%

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

$0.85 FCFA 481

$1.94 COP 6,074

-56.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 FCFA 256

$1.52 COP 4,754

-70.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 FCFA 1,015

$3.09 COP 9,663

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

$1.36 COP 4,262

113.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 FCFA 993

$1.70 COP 5,314

3.53%

Eggs

$4.00 FCFA 2,258

$2.87 COP 8,967

39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 FCFA 3,701

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-34.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 FCFA 3,459

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-43.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 FCFA 4,121

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-50.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 FCFA 1,384

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-40.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 FCFA 984

$1.57 COP 4,911

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 FCFA 2,481

$3.90 COP 12.2K

12.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 FCFA 798

$1.58 COP 4,948

-10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 FCFA 519

$2.83 COP 8,836

-67.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 FCFA 1,011

$1.17 COP 3,650

52.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.36 FCFA 14.9K

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-66.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 FCFA 491

$1.28 COP 4,014

-32.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 FCFA 513

$2.09 COP 6,537

-56.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 FCFA 4,887

$8.62 COP 26.9K

0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

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

$33.2K FCFA 18.7M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

19.94%

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

$30.0K FCFA 16.9M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-15.48%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

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

$17.67 FCFA 9,973

$13.37 COP 41.8K

32.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-40.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.99 FCFA 20.3K

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 FCFA 8,231

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-14.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 FCFA 3,057

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-12.58%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$359 FCFA 202.6K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-96.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 FCFA 130.9K

$680 COP 2.1M

-65.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 FCFA 196.4K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-82.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 FCFA 164.3K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-75.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$841 FCFA 474.8K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-79.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 FCFA 370.4K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-61.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

10.94

-37.84%

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

Last update for Malabo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Malabo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Malabo vs $303 in Medellin – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Malabo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $678 in Malabo, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 153% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,017 per month in Malabo and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 195% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 95% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $678 in Malabo to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Malabo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.