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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,890 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,785 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,680 in Brazzaville, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Brazzaville, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Brazzaville sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Brazzaville by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.58 FCFA 4,809

-8.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$26.05 FCFA 14.6K

70.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.19 FCFA 2,907

79.00%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.02 FCFA 2,252

-27.86%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.54 FCFA 863

17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.54 FCFA 862

0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$5.66 FCFA 3,172

-42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.86 FCFA 2,166

52.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.31 FCFA 1,295

-40.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$5.06 FCFA 2,839

-51.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$3.25 FCFA 1,821

-53.54%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.99 FCFA 1,678

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.87 FCFA 3,855

31.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.66 FCFA 2,614

128.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.59 FCFA 4,819

70.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.41 FCFA 1,350

64.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.81 FCFA 1,015

-23.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.76 FCFA 2,107

-38.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.63 FCFA 1,476

-23.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.82 FCFA 1,021

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.26 FCFA 708

29.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.32 FCFA 739

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.34 FCFA 1,873

20.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$10.38 FCFA 5,819

29.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.25 FCFA 140

372.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$23.75 FCFA 13.3K

236.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.81 FCFA 1,014

-11.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.09 FCFA 610

95.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$7.14 FCFA 4,006

19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.32 FCFA 740

2.27%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$28.8K FCFA 16.2M

-1.79%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$27.4K FCFA 15.4M

30.05%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$828 FCFA 464.5K

-81.73%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$17.01 FCFA 9,539

-22.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$44.07 FCFA 24.7K

-26.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$26.43 FCFA 14.8K

75.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$14.23 FCFA 7,982

21.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.68 FCFA 3,186

13.20%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$52.4 FCFA 29.4K

1492.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$78.8 FCFA 44.2K

13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$557 FCFA 312.2K

71.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$462 FCFA 258.9K

44.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$2,539 FCFA 1.4M

-20.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,504 FCFA 843.3K

-23.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$3,425 FCFA 1.9M

7.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$2,990 FCFA 1.7M

-46.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$460 FCFA 257.7K

36.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.54

59.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Brazzaville: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $557 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 36% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Brazzaville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $253 – making Brazzaville 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 12% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,835 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $26.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $1,890 in Brazzaville. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Brazzaville at $1,890. 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 $1,687 versus $1,890 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.