Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bangui

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangui: $425 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Bangui

🇨🇫 Central African Republic

$425

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bangui

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Bangui actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $425 in Bangui, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Bangui $425

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $676 in Bangui, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Bangui $676

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $926 in Bangui, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Bangui $926

Medellin costs about 298% more than Bangui, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Bangui is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

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

$1.77 COP 5,702

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,599

$1.75 FCFA 1,025

-18.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

$3.50 FCFA 2,052

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

$4.97 FCFA 2,915

14.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,948

$5.20 FCFA 3,050

-70.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,397

$4.32 FCFA 2,530

-46.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,279

$4.34 FCFA 2,543

-55.30%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,900

$5.00 FCFA 2,931

-38.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

$8.62 FCFA 5,051

15.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$8.33 FCFA 4,885

25.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

$3.45 FCFA 2,024

304.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,934

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,794

$6.95 FCFA 4,076

-69.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,405

$5.10 FCFA 2,989

-55.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,810

$4.29 FCFA 2,512

-50.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,518

$6.08 FCFA 3,567

-71.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,778

$2.57 FCFA 1,508

-54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,101

$2.49 FCFA 1,460

-36.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

$4.25 FCFA 2,489

-8.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.3K

$11.63 FCFA 6,817

20.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,688

$6.02 FCFA 3,528

-70.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,756

$4.24 FCFA 2,487

-36.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,809

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,833

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,874

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,117

$2.53 FCFA 1,486

-49.41%

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

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

$34.1K COP 110.2M

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

$178 COP 573.8K

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

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

$790 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$1,352 FCFA 792.5K

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

$1,647 FCFA 965.3K

17.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bangui: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Bangui

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Bangui

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Bangui

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Bangui

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Bangui

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Bangui

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Bangui

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,352 in Bangui. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇫 Bangui

🕒 Local time

12:51 12:51 PM

18:51 6:51 PM

6 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

734,350 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 586 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Bangui 10,420 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Bangui

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bangui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 298%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $638 in Bangui. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,341 in Medellin and $1,352 in Bangui. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $425 in Bangui. That makes Bangui about 75% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bangui, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Bangui 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 $425 in Bangui to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.