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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,944 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,866 in Brazzaville, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,789 in Brazzaville, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Brazzaville, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Brazzaville is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.59 FCFA 5,982

-43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$36.58 FCFA 20.7K

-8.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.98 FCFA 2,814

45.18%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.04 FCFA 2,281

-59.65%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.66 FCFA 936

-34.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.66 FCFA 938

-56.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$6.00 FCFA 3,386

-71.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.47 FCFA 1,393

30.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.12 FCFA 1,197

-50.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$4.74 FCFA 2,679

-72.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.01 FCFA 1,701

-56.15%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

-21.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.74 FCFA 3,807

-35.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.81 FCFA 2,715

22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.31 FCFA 4,693

3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.43 FCFA 1,374

-7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.60 FCFA 905

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.57 FCFA 2,014

-57.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.52 FCFA 1,425

-43.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.87 FCFA 1,053

-37.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.26 FCFA 714

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.31 FCFA 737

-32.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.51 FCFA 289

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.31 FCFA 1,872

-32.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.31 FCFA 5,822

7.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.62 FCFA 351

83.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.96 FCFA 1,104

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.25 FCFA 142

236.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$23.35 FCFA 13.2K

79.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.64 FCFA 925

-14.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.05 FCFA 593

80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.69 FCFA 3,777

15.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.14 FCFA 644

-11.40%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$29.9K FCFA 16.9M

-41.26%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.6K FCFA 15.6M

-4.05%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$819 FCFA 462.7K

-89.79%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.58 FCFA 9,365

-43.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$40.13 FCFA 22.7K

-39.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$41.56 FCFA 23.5K

-39.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$20.34 FCFA 11.5K

-5.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.71 FCFA 3,227

-28.20%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$49.43 FCFA 27.9K

531.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,841 FCFA 5.0M

-32.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$56.7 FCFA 32.0K

2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$59.7 FCFA 33.7K

-45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$101 FCFA 57.0K

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$55.6 FCFA 31.4K

95.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$533 FCFA 301.2K

-9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$448 FCFA 252.8K

-15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$2,424 FCFA 1.4M

-65.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,328 FCFA 750.1K

-45.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,396 FCFA 1.9M

-16.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,916 FCFA 1.6M

-58.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$465 FCFA 262.4K

16.40%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Brazzaville: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $533 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 16% 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 $37.00 in Brazzaville. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $257 – 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 91% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,916 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 $37.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,944 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 $1,017, than in Brazzaville at $1,944. 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 $1,017 versus $1,944 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.