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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $969 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,393 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,816 in Cotonou.

Living in Medellin is roughly 6% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.57 F CFA 2,017

68.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$26.18 F CFA 14.8K

25.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$5.41 F CFA 3,053

37.15%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$5.62 F CFA 3,171

-70.64%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.92 F CFA 522

16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.72 F CFA 404

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.43 F CFA 809

20.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

-8.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.66 F CFA 1,504

-60.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.42 F CFA 803

-7.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.92 F CFA 1,086

-30.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

-2.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.36 F CFA 5,284

-52.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.85 F CFA 2,737

17.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$4.96 F CFA 2,797

71.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$4.02 F CFA 2,269

-41.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.44 F CFA 815

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.26 F CFA 709

20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.82 F CFA 1,028

-24.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.34 F CFA 756

-14.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.48 F CFA 837

-20.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.48 F CFA 270

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.23 F CFA 693

-30.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.32 F CFA 1,307

-2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$4.53 F CFA 2,556

156.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.24 F CFA 701

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.21 F CFA 1,249

12.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

-56.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.38 F CFA 778

6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.31 F CFA 737

46.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$1.72 F CFA 970

351.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.11 F CFA 626

-9.01%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$24.4K F CFA 13.8M

8.50%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$269 F CFA 152.0K

-69.88%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$44.74 F CFA 25.3K

-78.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$56.0 F CFA 31.6K

-57.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$60.0 F CFA 33.9K

-56.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$5.40 F CFA 3,046

246.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.72 F CFA 4,356

-47.02%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$190 F CFA 107.3K

65.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,481 F CFA 3.7M

-7.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$17.36 F CFA 9,797

243.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$9.01 F CFA 5,087

254.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$8.61 F CFA 4,862

1075.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$47.92 F CFA 27.0K

119.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$200 F CFA 113.0K

142.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$148 F CFA 83.8K

146.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$584 F CFA 329.4K

41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$283 F CFA 159.7K

158.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

168.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $200 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Cotonou. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $211, with Medellin 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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $1,454 in Cotonou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Medellin versus $200 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $969 in Cotonou – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $969 in Cotonou versus $1,028 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 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.