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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $917 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,516 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,115 in Bamako.

Living in Medellin is roughly 9% more expensive than in Bamako, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bamako 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.82 F CFA 3,871

-13.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$37.50 F CFA 21.3K

-12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.53 F CFA 3,706

13.78%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.85 F CFA 1,049

-10.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.76 F CFA 430

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.56 F CFA 318

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.40 F CFA 1,363

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$21.19 F CFA 12.0K

-84.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.32 F CFA 1,318

-52.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.74 F CFA 2,121

-66.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$6.53 F CFA 3,707

-66.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$17.71 F CFA 10.1K

-74.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$15.92 F CFA 9,036

-63.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.39 F CFA 7,034

-27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.08 F CFA 2,318

-43.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.04 F CFA 588

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.81 F CFA 1,597

-45.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.12 F CFA 1,203

-35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.29 F CFA 730

-12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.38 F CFA 784

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.11 F CFA 63.4

718.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

-67.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$0.94 F CFA 536

137.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.50 F CFA 853

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.66 F CFA 945

49.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.79 F CFA 2,722

-82.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.26 F CFA 714

54.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.20 F CFA 679

-17.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$148 F CFA 84.0K

-43.86%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$57.5 F CFA 32.6K

-59.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$68.5 F CFA 38.9K

-63.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.03 F CFA 2,285

373.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.78 F CFA 3,284

-31.66%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$173 F CFA 98.4K

174.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$81.5 F CFA 46.3K

358.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$398 F CFA 225.8K

113.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$298 F CFA 169.1K

141.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,245 F CFA 707.0K

15.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$261 F CFA 148.0K

139.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bamako: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $173 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 140% 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 $37.00 in Bamako for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $356 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 9% 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 140% 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: $475 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $917 in Bamako – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 84% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $917 in Bamako versus $1,003 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 $917 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 9% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.