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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $810 in Bouake.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,318 in Bouake.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,826 in Bouake.

Living in Medellin is roughly 28% more expensive than Bouake, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bouake 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.50 F CFA 1,961

69.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$53.9 F CFA 30.2K

-39.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$10.55 F CFA 5,917

-31.75%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.81 F CFA 1,013

-6.08%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.87 F CFA 489

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.85 F CFA 476

-15.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.05 F CFA 588

59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

72.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.35 F CFA 1,317

-54.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.62 F CFA 347

101.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.26 F CFA 706

10.32%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.29 F CFA 1,286

-1.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$23.00 F CFA 12.9K

-81.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.39 F CFA 4,707

-30.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.24 F CFA 3,500

41.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.88 F CFA 2,175

-42.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.09 F CFA 611

-0.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.15 F CFA 1,205

-28.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.04 F CFA 1,142

-32.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.61 F CFA 903

-29.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.74 F CFA 975

-35.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.88 F CFA 491

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.89 F CFA 501

2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.71 F CFA 960

36.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.76 F CFA 3,793

64.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.05 F CFA 591

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.38 F CFA 777

71.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.80 F CFA 1,008

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.60 F CFA 900

19.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$26.63 F CFA 14.9K

-69.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.49 F CFA 837

-36.91%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.7K F CFA 17.8M

-43.44%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.8K F CFA 16.7M

-9.96%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$184 F CFA 103.0K

-54.30%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$35.79 F CFA 20.1K

-73.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$44.83 F CFA 25.1K

-46.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.67 F CFA 4,864

-54.79%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$288 F CFA 161.3K

6.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,334 F CFA 1.9M

77.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$90.7 F CFA 50.9K

-36.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$58.0 F CFA 32.5K

-45.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$84.2 F CFA 47.2K

18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$138 F CFA 77.2K

-22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bouake: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Bouake for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $262 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 28% 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 $1,550 in Medellin and $1,215 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 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $810 in Bouake – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Bouake versus $1,034 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 $810 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 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.