Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabinda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabinda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $72.8 in Cabinda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,557 in Cabinda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,040 in Cabinda, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2154% more than Cabinda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Cabinda is 95% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.51 AOA 6,856

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$39.65 AOA 36.2K

21.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$1.02 AOA 935

82.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$1.65 AOA 1,508

-11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.01 AOA 1,837

184.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

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

$169 COP 519.5K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$625 AOA 570.5K

71.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$2,775 AOA 2.5M

-62.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cabinda: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $625 in Cabinda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Cabinda. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 Cabinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 2154%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $109 in Cabinda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $72.8 in Cabinda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Cabinda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabinda, where all-in costs run around $72.8, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Cabinda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabinda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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