Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brazzaville Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brazzaville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $2,011 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,933 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,854 in Brazzaville, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Brazzaville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Brazzaville is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.67 FCFA 5,984

-44.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$36.46 FCFA 20.5K

-10.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.16 FCFA 2,897

39.53%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.95 FCFA 2,215

-56.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.61 FCFA 900

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.65 FCFA 926

-56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$5.88 FCFA 3,298

-71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.47 FCFA 1,386

25.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.13 FCFA 1,193

-50.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$4.64 FCFA 2,604

-73.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.00 FCFA 1,680

-53.67%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.02 FCFA 1,693

-25.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.89 FCFA 3,865

-37.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.82 FCFA 2,704

21.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.35 FCFA 4,682

5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.41 FCFA 1,353

-7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.68 FCFA 942

-35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.74 FCFA 2,096

-59.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.59 FCFA 1,451

-47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.89 FCFA 1,063

-40.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.27 FCFA 710

-11.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.36 FCFA 764

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.51 FCFA 288

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.32 FCFA 1,860

-29.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.32 FCFA 5,788

7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.58 FCFA 325

105.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.01 FCFA 1,128

17.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.25 FCFA 141

216.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$23.54 FCFA 13.2K

74.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.62 FCFA 909

-11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.06 FCFA 597

80.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.56 FCFA 3,682

22.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.18 FCFA 662

-20.34%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$29.2K FCFA 16.4M

-38.63%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.5K FCFA 15.4M

-2.45%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$809 FCFA 453.7K

-89.62%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.81 FCFA 9,429

-42.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$40.45 FCFA 22.7K

-40.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$40.76 FCFA 22.9K

-36.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$20.74 FCFA 11.6K

-8.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.61 FCFA 3,148

-30.12%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$49.19 FCFA 27.6K

522.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,658 FCFA 4.9M

-31.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$56.6 FCFA 31.8K

2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$59.3 FCFA 33.3K

-46.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$99.5 FCFA 55.8K

0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$54.7 FCFA 30.7K

96.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$529 FCFA 296.7K

-8.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$447 FCFA 250.6K

-17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,481 FCFA 1.4M

-66.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,347 FCFA 755.3K

-46.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$3,435 FCFA 1.9M

-14.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$3,004 FCFA 1.7M

-53.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$458 FCFA 256.9K

19.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.54

105.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Brazzaville: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $529 in Brazzaville. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Brazzaville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $259 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Brazzaville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazzaville costs about 95% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $3,017 in Brazzaville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Brazzaville. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $2,011 in Brazzaville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Brazzaville at $2,011. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brazzaville it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $2,011 in Brazzaville. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brazzaville makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.