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: $346 in Maroua versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $518 in Maroua versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $689 in Maroua versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Maroua costs roughly 67% 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

$5.92 COP 21.5K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 FCFA 999

$1.06 COP 3,837

67.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 FCFA 484

$1.25 COP 4,531

-31.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 FCFA 1,666

$1.39 COP 5,060

113.67%

Eggs

$2.75 FCFA 1,539

$2.26 COP 8,229

21.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 FCFA 3,051

$4.33 COP 15.8K

25.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 FCFA 2,913

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-10.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.45 FCFA 1,931

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-60.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 FCFA 1,008

$2.24 COP 8,159

-19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 FCFA 511

$1.08 COP 3,911

-15.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 FCFA 500

$1.53 COP 5,563

-41.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 FCFA 966

$1.37 COP 4,987

25.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 FCFA 1,501

$1.13 COP 4,109

137.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 FCFA 1,003

$1.12 COP 4,067

59.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 505

$0.91 COP 3,305

-1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 FCFA 6,573

$11.13 COP 40.5K

5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 FCFA 477

$1.19 COP 4,342

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 FCFA 996

$2.37 COP 8,617

-24.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

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

$52.0 FCFA 29.2K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-38.03%

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

$9.05 FCFA 5,068

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 FCFA 9,843

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-32.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.78 FCFA 1,000

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-90.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 FCFA 48.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

-76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 FCFA 88.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-77.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 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 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $519 in Maroua and $1,550 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 $346 per month in Maroua versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $346 in Maroua versus $1,034 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 199% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.