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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $838 in Bouake.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,322 in Bouake.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,805 in Bouake.

Living in Medellin is roughly 21% more expensive than Bouake, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bouake 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.42 F CFA 1,934

73.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$53.2 F CFA 30.0K

-37.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$10.41 F CFA 5,879

-30.55%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.90 F CFA 1,074

-14.21%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.82 F CFA 462

32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.84 F CFA 473

-13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.08 F CFA 609

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

79.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.37 F CFA 1,337

-55.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.58 F CFA 327

122.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.29 F CFA 731

2.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.31 F CFA 1,303

-1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$23.23 F CFA 13.1K

-81.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.63 F CFA 4,875

-31.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.98 F CFA 3,376

43.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.86 F CFA 2,183

-41.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.10 F CFA 619

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.26 F CFA 1,276

-32.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.97 F CFA 1,114

-27.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.66 F CFA 938

-29.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.75 F CFA 986

-33.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.93 F CFA 525

-4.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.92 F CFA 521

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

25.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.28 F CFA 3,545

75.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.01 F CFA 570

12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.38 F CFA 779

72.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.72 F CFA 973

-18.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.61 F CFA 908

18.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$25.96 F CFA 14.7K

-70.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.50 F CFA 846

-32.67%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.3K F CFA 17.7M

-43.77%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$30.0K F CFA 16.9M

-11.70%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$182 F CFA 102.9K

-54.05%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$35.83 F CFA 20.2K

-73.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$46.56 F CFA 26.3K

-48.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.71 F CFA 4,917

-52.93%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$294 F CFA 166.3K

5.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,311 F CFA 1.9M

81.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$89.6 F CFA 50.6K

-35.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$58.2 F CFA 32.8K

-44.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$85.5 F CFA 48.3K

16.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$141 F CFA 79.5K

-22.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bouake: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $53.0 in Bouake for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 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 21% 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 $1,525 in Medellin and $1,258 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 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $838 in Bouake – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $838 in Bouake versus $1,017 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 $838 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 21% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.