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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $748 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,156 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,564 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Abomey-Calavi 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.82 F CFA 3,285

2.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$26.13 F CFA 14.8K

25.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.39 F CFA 4,737

-15.49%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.83 F CFA 2,725

-64.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.18 F CFA 667

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

-56.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.71 F CFA 966

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.15 F CFA 2,906

-40.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.19 F CFA 1,235

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.27 F CFA 152

366.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.01 F CFA 1,132

-31.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.96 F CFA 1,107

11.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

22.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.91 F CFA 2,207

43.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.20 F CFA 3,501

43.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.17 F CFA 1,227

7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.89 F CFA 504

19.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.70 F CFA 394

114.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.09 F CFA 1,178

-33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.02 F CFA 574

12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.77 F CFA 432

50.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.73 F CFA 411

21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.85 F CFA 479

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$0.42 F CFA 238

442.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.92 F CFA 6,164

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.95 F CFA 536

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.16 F CFA 657

112.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$7.89 F CFA 4,454

424.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

-18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.53 F CFA 865

28.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.24 F CFA 701

-23.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$122 F CFA 68.8K

-32.49%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$20.19 F CFA 11.4K

-52.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$87.1 F CFA 49.2K

-72.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$35.11 F CFA 19.8K

-26.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.33 F CFA 3,009

256.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.35 F CFA 3,582

-38.11%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$17.52 F CFA 9,887

234.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$8.65 F CFA 4,882

273.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$26.01 F CFA 14.7K

294.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$26.02 F CFA 14.7K

316.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$102 F CFA 57.8K

365.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$74.8 F CFA 42.2K

406.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$218 F CFA 123.2K

284.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$283 F CFA 159.8K

155.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$89.9 F CFA 50.7K

469.28%

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 Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $102 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 469% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $165 – 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 35%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,122 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $748 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 $33.00 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 $748, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.