Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abidjan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abidjan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,325 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,172 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,020 in Abidjan.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 24% less than in Abidjan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Abidjan 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

73.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

-38.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.66 F CFA 6,012

-33.49%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

-5.52%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.86 F CFA 485

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.83 F CFA 467

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.03 F CFA 580

63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.79 F CFA 1,008

71.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.34 F CFA 1,322

-53.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.62 F CFA 350

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.29 F CFA 728

6.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.29 F CFA 1,290

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

-81.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.59 F CFA 4,846

-34.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.24 F CFA 3,519

42.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.91 F CFA 2,203

-40.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.15 F CFA 646

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.20 F CFA 1,238

-31.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.03 F CFA 1,145

-32.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.68 F CFA 949

-31.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.75 F CFA 989

-33.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.89 F CFA 502

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.91 F CFA 512

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.73 F CFA 973

31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$6.25 F CFA 3,524

70.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.06 F CFA 596

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.42 F CFA 803

73.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.98 F CFA 555

-12.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

-16.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.74 F CFA 982

-15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.55 F CFA 873

26.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

-70.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.55 F CFA 876

-38.71%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

-43.84%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

-11.23%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$183 F CFA 103.0K

-54.98%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

-73.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

-46.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

-67.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

-13.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.91 F CFA 5,024

-55.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$285 F CFA 161.0K

8.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

81.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

-36.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$57.9 F CFA 32.6K

-44.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$84.6 F CFA 47.7K

21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$138 F CFA 77.6K

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$623 F CFA 351.4K

-23.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$399 F CFA 225.0K

-5.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

-55.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$920 F CFA 518.8K

-21.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

21.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$707 F CFA 398.8K

71.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$221 F CFA 124.7K

131.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.75

-8.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $623 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 131% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Abidjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $264 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

Medellin vs Abidjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 131% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $623 in Abidjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $54.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,325 in Abidjan – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,325 in Abidjan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Abidjan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.