Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abomey-Calavi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abomey-Calavi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $744 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,164 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,584 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 126% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Abomey-Calavi is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.55 F CFA 3,174

44.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$26.00 F CFA 14.9K

84.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.13 F CFA 4,647

21.65%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.89 F CFA 2,793

-35.99%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.12 F CFA 638

70.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.75 F CFA 998

-13.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.81 F CFA 1,034

72.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.25 F CFA 3,002

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.16 F CFA 1,237

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.25 F CFA 142

896.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.07 F CFA 1,184

-14.49%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.06 F CFA 1,177

43.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$3.55 F CFA 2,027

183.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.86 F CFA 2,207

162.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.14 F CFA 3,511

132.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.16 F CFA 1,233

91.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.92 F CFA 526

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.67 F CFA 382

235.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.05 F CFA 1,173

9.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.94 F CFA 536

117.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.82 F CFA 468

87.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 F CFA 383

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.90 F CFA 515

45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$0.42 F CFA 243

828.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.05 F CFA 6,317

26.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.99 F CFA 567

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.17 F CFA 667

145.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$7.69 F CFA 4,396

946.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.74 F CFA 992

-24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.75 F CFA 998

25.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.24 F CFA 709

10.48%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$121 F CFA 69.4K

45.99%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$20.29 F CFA 11.6K

-31.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$89.5 F CFA 51.1K

-66.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$35.48 F CFA 20.3K

26.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.25 F CFA 3,001

226.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.12 F CFA 3,497

8.66%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$17.53 F CFA 10.0K

410.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$8.88 F CFA 5,075

564.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$26.47 F CFA 15.1K

422.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$26.31 F CFA 15.0K

288.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$103 F CFA 59.0K

928.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$76.1 F CFA 43.5K

771.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$220 F CFA 125.5K

759.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$283 F CFA 161.6K

263.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$89.3 F CFA 51.0K

658.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $103 in Abomey-Calavi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 659% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $166 – making Abomey-Calavi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Abomey-Calavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 126%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,116 in Abomey-Calavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abomey-Calavi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $744 in Abomey-Calavi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Abomey-Calavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Abomey-Calavi. 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.