Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Accra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Accra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $746 in Accra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,304 in Accra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,862 in Accra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Accra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Accra 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.34 GHS 50.1

41.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$48.15 GHS 556

-32.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.70 GHS 88.9

-4.68%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.50 GHS 40.40

-50.86%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.00 GHS 11.54

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.35 GHS 3.98

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.53 GHS 17.61

10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.56 GHS 29.53

23.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.37 GHS 38.91

-68.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.46 GHS 16.83

-10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.47 GHS 28.46

-43.32%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.27 GHS 26.17

-4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.22 GHS 129

-60.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.54 GHS 52.4

29.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.87 GHS 67.8

47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.90 GHS 33.44

-21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.46 GHS 16.84

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.71 GHS 19.78

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.17 GHS 36.59

-57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.98 GHS 34.36

-62.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.46 GHS 28.38

-54.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.76 GHS 8.80

11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.48 GHS 5.54

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.58 GHS 18.26

48.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.30 GHS 84.3

69.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.16 GHS 13.37

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.96 GHS 22.66

27.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.05 GHS 12.09

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$35.17 GHS 406

15.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.54 GHS 17.74

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.17 GHS 13.45

64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.38 GHS 62.0

42.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.13 GHS 12.99

-12.39%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$8,009 GHS 92.4K

125.12%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$9,480 GHS 109.4K

180.88%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$55.6 GHS 642

45.29%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.03 GHS 150

-23.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.61 GHS 434

-35.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$35.17 GHS 406

-28.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.03 GHS 185

19.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.74 GHS 112

-59.14%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$72.2 GHS 833

322.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,959 GHS 91.8K

-23.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$14.51 GHS 167

300.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$18.82 GHS 217

71.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$28.88 GHS 333

248.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$40.84 GHS 471

163.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$530 GHS 6,114

-10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$147 GHS 1,698

155.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,048 GHS 12.1K

-19.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$378 GHS 4,366

93.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,797 GHS 32.3K

14.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,469 GHS 17.0K

-6.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$180 GHS 2,081

241.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

25.4

-47.13%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Accra: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $530 in Accra. 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 242% 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 $48.00 in Accra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $234 – making Medellin 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 Accra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $746 in Accra – roughly 38% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,119 in Accra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $48.00 in Accra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Accra, where all-in costs run around $746, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Accra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $746 in Accra to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Accra. 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.