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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $904 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,469 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,034 in Bamako.

Living in Medellin is roughly 86% more expensive than in Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bamako is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.48 F CFA 4,848

-5.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$36.36 F CFA 20.8K

31.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.41 F CFA 4,805

17.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.68 F CFA 961

86.31%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.94 F CFA 540

103.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.70 F CFA 401

115.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.33 F CFA 1,331

33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$21.35 F CFA 12.2K

-73.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.87 F CFA 1,068

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.87 F CFA 2,212

-35.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$6.02 F CFA 3,438

-50.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$18.11 F CFA 10.3K

-44.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$15.78 F CFA 9,018

-35.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.66 F CFA 7,237

12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.90 F CFA 2,230

6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.08 F CFA 617

49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.88 F CFA 1,643

-21.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.08 F CFA 1,190

8.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.21 F CFA 689

68.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.13 F CFA 643

36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.11 F CFA 60.5

963.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.67 F CFA 1,525

-50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.58 F CFA 900

10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.61 F CFA 922

78.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.26 F CFA 717

73.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.13 F CFA 646

21.24%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$153 F CFA 87.1K

16.26%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$65.1 F CFA 37.2K

-54.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$70.3 F CFA 40.2K

-36.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$174 F CFA 99.4K

510.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$79.8 F CFA 45.6K

730.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$499 F CFA 285.1K

278.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$298 F CFA 170.2K

244.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,254 F CFA 716.6K

33.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$261 F CFA 149.2K

159.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bamako: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $174 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 160% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $350, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 86% 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.

Average pay runs 160% higher in Medellin, 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $174 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $904 in Bamako – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $904 in Bamako versus $1,681 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 $904 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 86% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.