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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $736 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,155 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,574 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Abomey-Calavi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.60 F CFA 3,216

10.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.41 F CFA 15.2K

23.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.34 F CFA 4,787

-11.99%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.77 F CFA 2,740

-63.94%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.18 F CFA 677

-11.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.78 F CFA 1,019

-56.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.78 F CFA 1,024

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.18 F CFA 2,976

-38.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.23 F CFA 1,281

-52.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.27 F CFA 156

381.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.06 F CFA 1,181

-32.04%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.98 F CFA 1,137

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.51 F CFA 2,018

25.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.91 F CFA 2,247

50.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.35 F CFA 3,643

36.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.28 F CFA 1,306

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.84 F CFA 481

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.69 F CFA 396

121.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.17 F CFA 1,245

-37.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.01 F CFA 579

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.82 F CFA 472

37.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.70 F CFA 399

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.84 F CFA 484

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$0.42 F CFA 242

457.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.65 F CFA 6,112

16.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.94 F CFA 540

27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.17 F CFA 670

112.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$7.61 F CFA 4,370

433.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.72 F CFA 988

-17.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.56 F CFA 895

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.25 F CFA 716

-20.80%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$125 F CFA 71.7K

-35.33%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$20.40 F CFA 11.7K

-51.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$88.3 F CFA 50.7K

-72.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$34.66 F CFA 19.9K

-27.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.33 F CFA 3,059

259.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.33 F CFA 3,634

-37.12%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$17.87 F CFA 10.3K

225.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$8.89 F CFA 5,102

262.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$26.23 F CFA 15.1K

284.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$26.74 F CFA 15.3K

302.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$102 F CFA 58.7K

366.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$73.8 F CFA 42.4K

409.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$221 F CFA 127.1K

281.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$279 F CFA 160.4K

161.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$85.9 F CFA 49.3K

617.88%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 618% 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: $193 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 40%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,104 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $736 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 $736, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.