Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bouake Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bouake

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $812 in Bouake.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,300 in Bouake.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,787 in Bouake.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than in Bouake, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bouake 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.58 F CFA 2,030

65.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$52.5 F CFA 29.8K

-37.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$10.54 F CFA 5,982

-29.51%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.88 F CFA 1,069

-12.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.85 F CFA 480

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.85 F CFA 482

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.07 F CFA 610

60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

76.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.40 F CFA 1,363

-54.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.59 F CFA 335

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.28 F CFA 728

7.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.24 F CFA 1,272

-2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$23.08 F CFA 13.1K

-80.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$8.64 F CFA 4,906

-32.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.12 F CFA 3,473

46.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.89 F CFA 2,207

-40.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.15 F CFA 652

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.17 F CFA 1,233

-29.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.01 F CFA 1,142

-32.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.66 F CFA 940

-31.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.68 F CFA 953

-30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.89 F CFA 504

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.90 F CFA 513

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.71 F CFA 972

30.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.13 F CFA 3,479

97.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.06 F CFA 602

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.42 F CFA 804

74.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.78 F CFA 1,010

-20.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.55 F CFA 878

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$26.13 F CFA 14.8K

-69.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.50 F CFA 853

-34.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.8K F CFA 18.0M

-44.59%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$29.6K F CFA 16.8M

-9.33%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$186 F CFA 105.7K

-55.41%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$36.50 F CFA 20.7K

-73.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$45.00 F CFA 25.5K

-47.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$8.90 F CFA 5,051

-55.62%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$288 F CFA 163.3K

9.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,255 F CFA 1.8M

83.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$89.5 F CFA 50.8K

-32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$57.7 F CFA 32.7K

-44.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$84.0 F CFA 47.7K

21.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$142 F CFA 80.4K

-24.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.75

-8.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bouake: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $52.0 in Bouake for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $263 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 Bouake: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bouake wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bouake the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,218 in Bouake to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 36% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $812 in Bouake – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $812 in Bouake versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bouake but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bouake the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bouake delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $812 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bouake hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bouake gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.