Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bamako Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bamako

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $891 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,471 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,051 in Bamako.

Living in Medellin is roughly 14% more expensive than Bamako, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bamako 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$6.82 F CFA 3,877

-12.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

-11.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$6.26 F CFA 3,559

15.50%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$1.90 F CFA 1,080

-14.21%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.75 F CFA 424

45.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.59 F CFA 336

23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

-27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

-84.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

-54.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.89 F CFA 2,210

-66.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$6.72 F CFA 3,817

-66.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

-75.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$15.88 F CFA 9,022

-62.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$12.33 F CFA 7,003

-30.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$3.97 F CFA 2,257

-43.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.02 F CFA 582

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$2.89 F CFA 1,642

-47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$2.15 F CFA 1,219

-33.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.34 F CFA 763

-12.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.36 F CFA 774

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

790.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$2.77 F CFA 1,572

-67.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$0.94 F CFA 536

139.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$1.51 F CFA 859

-24.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.61 F CFA 916

47.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$4.63 F CFA 2,629

-81.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$1.27 F CFA 720

49.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.16 F CFA 658

-12.93%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$151 F CFA 85.8K

-44.59%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

-57.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$68.0 F CFA 38.6K

-62.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$4.15 F CFA 2,359

361.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$5.70 F CFA 3,240

-28.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$173 F CFA 98.2K

179.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$81.6 F CFA 46.3K

365.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$398 F CFA 226.1K

110.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$294 F CFA 167.1K

145.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$1,252 F CFA 711.2K

-2.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$260 F CFA 147.7K

108.03%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bamako: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $173 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 108% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $38.00 in Bamako for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $358 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Bamako: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 108% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $173 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $891 in Bamako – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 89% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bamako versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $891 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.