Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroua and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroua and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $352 in Maroua versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $513 in Maroua versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $675 in Maroua versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Maroua costs roughly 66% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maroua 74% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 FCFA 1,015

$1.05 COP 3,597

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 FCFA 479

$1.31 COP 4,479

-35.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 FCFA 1,659

$1.34 COP 4,591

119.40%

Eggs

$2.72 FCFA 1,535

$2.19 COP 7,521

24.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 FCFA 3,026

$4.41 COP 15.1K

21.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 FCFA 3,064

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-4.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.59 FCFA 2,025

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-57.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 FCFA 1,014

$2.34 COP 8,023

-23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 FCFA 487

$1.11 COP 3,804

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 FCFA 475

$1.52 COP 5,210

-44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 FCFA 1,004

$1.37 COP 4,680

29.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 FCFA 1,505

$1.15 COP 3,950

132.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 FCFA 1,013

$1.18 COP 4,043

51.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 FCFA 517

$0.86 COP 2,931

6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.62 FCFA 6,557

$11.60 COP 39.8K

0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 FCFA 482

$1.20 COP 4,109

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 1,004

$2.48 COP 8,484

-28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$53.3 FCFA 30.1K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

-34.33%

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

$9.00 FCFA 5,079

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-4.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.34 FCFA 9,790

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-33.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.78 FCFA 1,003

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-90.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 FCFA 49.5K

$365 COP 1.3M

-75.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 FCFA 90.3K

$730 COP 2.5M

-78.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Maroua: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

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

Maroua vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maroua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $528 in Maroua and $1,542 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $352 per month in Maroua versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $352 in Maroua versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maroua but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maroua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maroua is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 192% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.