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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,105 in Accra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,727 in Accra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,348 in Accra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Accra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Accra is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.99 GHS 91.3

0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$51.9 GHS 593

-6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.73 GHS 123

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.59 GHS 52.5

-35.95%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.62 GHS 18.53

14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.45 GHS 5.17

224.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.90 GHS 21.70

68.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.33 GHS 26.66

145.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$3.68 GHS 42.03

-60.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.72 GHS 19.62

39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.17 GHS 36.18

-46.37%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.70 GHS 30.80

7.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.24 GHS 140

-17.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.54 GHS 86.1

32.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.04 GHS 115

41.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.75 GHS 42.87

6.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.43 GHS 16.29

10.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.80 GHS 20.59

19.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.59 GHS 41.01

-35.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.72 GHS 31.01

-26.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.76 GHS 31.48

-45.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.73 GHS 8.34

64.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.63 GHS 7.15

103.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.61 GHS 29.77

47.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.32 GHS 83.5

91.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.30 GHS 14.81

31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.43 GHS 27.77

12.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.58 GHS 18.01

-20.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$42.03 GHS 480

85.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.78 GHS 20.38

-26.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.34 GHS 15.31

61.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.52 GHS 51.7

83.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.38 GHS 15.76

-1.45%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$7,902 GHS 90.2K

247.67%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$10.2K GHS 116.1K

259.26%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$75.8 GHS 865

122.73%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$19.38 GHS 221

-29.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$44.26 GHS 506

-36.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$73.0 GHS 833

-37.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$18.49 GHS 211

-6.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.00 GHS 148

-48.85%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$468 GHS 5,344

71.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$18.4K GHS 210.6K

-50.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$14.45 GHS 165

504.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$18.99 GHS 217

212.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$37.24 GHS 425

273.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$54.6 GHS 623

86.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$693 GHS 7,909

54.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$278 GHS 3,180

134.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,104 GHS 12.6K

74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$475 GHS 5,419

120.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,888 GHS 33.0K

42.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,474 GHS 16.8K

15.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$181 GHS 2,068

261.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

26.75

-59.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Accra: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $693 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 262% 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 $52.0 in Accra. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $285 in Accra – so Accra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,641 in Medellin, $1,105 in Accra – roughly 48% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,658 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.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $52.0 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 $1,105, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $1,105 in Accra to $1,641 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.