Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cotonou Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cotonou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $946 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,477 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,009 in Cotonou.

Living in Medellin is roughly 78% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Cotonou is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.34 F CFA 3,052

50.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$36.50 F CFA 20.9K

31.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.92 F CFA 5,668

-0.30%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.12 F CFA 2,927

-38.87%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.05 F CFA 599

81.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.91 F CFA 519

65.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$0.86 F CFA 491

262.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.69 F CFA 1,538

113.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.17 F CFA 1,814

-54.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.28 F CFA 731

94.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.88 F CFA 1,074

-5.85%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.81 F CFA 1,605

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.66 F CFA 5,522

4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.66 F CFA 3,232

78.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.19 F CFA 2,963

175.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.32 F CFA 2,466

-4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.93 F CFA 1,105

-16.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.34 F CFA 764

67.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.78 F CFA 1,590

-19.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.30 F CFA 741

56.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

-14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.45 F CFA 257

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.16 F CFA 663

12.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.44 F CFA 1,963

13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.29 F CFA 2,451

226.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.22 F CFA 695

42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.89 F CFA 1,079

51.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.36 F CFA 776

-10.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.38 F CFA 788

-5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.44 F CFA 821

52.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.23 F CFA 701

11.38%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.1K F CFA 14.3M

42.57%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$151 F CFA 86.1K

17.74%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$35.44 F CFA 20.2K

-60.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$49.28 F CFA 28.2K

-39.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$49.48 F CFA 28.3K

-9.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$3.54 F CFA 2,025

383.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.86 F CFA 5,061

-24.94%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$137 F CFA 78.0K

495.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,660 F CFA 3.2M

62.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$25.92 F CFA 14.8K

245.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$34.87 F CFA 19.9K

296.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$70.6 F CFA 40.3K

44.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$182 F CFA 103.9K

483.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$175 F CFA 99.8K

279.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$614 F CFA 351.0K

207.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$429 F CFA 245.2K

139.35%

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

$261 F CFA 149.2K

159.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $182 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 159% 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 $37.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $230 per month, with Cotonou cheaper across the board.

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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 159% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $182 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $946 in Cotonou – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $946 in Cotonou versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.