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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $766 in Accra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,317 in Accra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,867 in Accra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Accra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Accra 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$4.29 GHS 50.7

39.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$46.88 GHS 554

-29.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$7.82 GHS 92.5

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$3.45 GHS 40.81

-50.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.94 GHS 11.14

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.34 GHS 4.06

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$1.58 GHS 18.66

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.52 GHS 29.80

21.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$3.37 GHS 39.89

-67.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.43 GHS 16.93

-11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.43 GHS 28.71

-43.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.29 GHS 27.08

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.36 GHS 134

-61.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$4.62 GHS 54.6

21.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$6.03 GHS 71.3

47.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.90 GHS 34.33

-19.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.44 GHS 17.00

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.64 GHS 19.42

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$3.08 GHS 36.37

-55.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$3.13 GHS 36.96

-63.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.42 GHS 28.64

-52.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.82 GHS 9.65

8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.52 GHS 6.10

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$1.58 GHS 18.62

44.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.07 GHS 83.6

50.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.12 GHS 13.24

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.93 GHS 22.81

27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$1.04 GHS 12.29

-17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$34.78 GHS 411

19.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.56 GHS 18.42

-5.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.18 GHS 13.92

66.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$5.40 GHS 63.9

43.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.07 GHS 12.64

-11.21%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$8,145 GHS 96.3K

122.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$9,815 GHS 116.0K

169.86%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$56.4 GHS 667

45.78%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$13.00 GHS 154

-26.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$37.61 GHS 444

-35.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$35.58 GHS 421

-27.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$16.03 GHS 190

18.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.60 GHS 114

-59.06%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$72.0 GHS 851

329.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$7,954 GHS 94.0K

-25.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$14.88 GHS 176

294.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$18.54 GHS 219

74.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$28.78 GHS 340

256.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$40.81 GHS 482

165.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$529 GHS 6,255

-10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$150 GHS 1,776

152.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,038 GHS 12.3K

-19.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$365 GHS 4,316

98.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,841 GHS 33.6K

-1.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,501 GHS 17.7K

-19.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$172 GHS 2,038

196.77%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Accra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $529 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 197% 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 $47.00 in Accra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $235 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $766 in Accra – roughly 32% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,150 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 24% 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 $47.00 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 $766, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $766 in Accra to $1,013 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.