Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buea Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $771 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,415 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,058 in Buea.

Living in Medellin is roughly 118% more expensive than in Buea, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Buea is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

350.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$124 FCFA 71.1K

-61.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.17 FCFA 3,527

60.29%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.20 FCFA 1,257

42.27%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.34 FCFA 766

42.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.52 FCFA 299

190.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.08 FCFA 617

188.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.61 FCFA 917

257.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.89 FCFA 1,652

-50.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.41 FCFA 236

507.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.66 FCFA 947

6.63%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.01 FCFA 1,150

47.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$23.31 FCFA 13.3K

-56.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$7.88 FCFA 4,506

28.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$4.45 FCFA 2,544

221.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.54 FCFA 2,022

16.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.45 FCFA 827

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.91 FCFA 519

147.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.36 FCFA 775

65.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.80 FCFA 1,027

13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.37 FCFA 782

12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.75 FCFA 428

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.68 FCFA 387

92.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.61 FCFA 1,492

49.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.68 FCFA 4,957

61.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.26 FCFA 723

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

61.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.25 FCFA 143

424.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.54 FCFA 309

305.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.33 FCFA 3,046

63.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.20 FCFA 686

14.17%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$19.5K FCFA 11.2M

42.48%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$15.8K FCFA 9.0M

126.77%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$62.7 FCFA 35.8K

182.68%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$17.55 FCFA 10.0K

-20.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$175 FCFA 99.8K

-82.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$26.49 FCFA 15.1K

69.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$4.37 FCFA 2,498

291.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.58 FCFA 4,905

-22.49%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$530 FCFA 302.9K

53.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,440 FCFA 2.0M

167.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$35.15 FCFA 20.1K

154.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$69.9 FCFA 39.9K

-15.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$143 FCFA 81.8K

-3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$71.0 FCFA 40.6K

43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$130 FCFA 74.0K

423.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

19.04

-42.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Buea: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 423% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $124 in Buea. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $254, with Buea cheaper for home cooking.

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 Buea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Buea differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $771 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 423% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $530 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buea – a meal for two runs $124 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Buea versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buea but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Buea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Buea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.