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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $997 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,426 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,854 in Cotonou.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Cotonou 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

70.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

23.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

43.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

-70.32%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.86 F CFA 488

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.79 F CFA 446

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.40 F CFA 794

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

-11.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

-57.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.44 F CFA 815

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

-28.13%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

-1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

-51.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

14.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

73.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

-40.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.37 F CFA 779

-22.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.21 F CFA 689

25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.74 F CFA 988

-21.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.34 F CFA 761

-15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.50 F CFA 853

-22.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.51 F CFA 291

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.23 F CFA 700

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

-5.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

183.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.20 F CFA 681

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.38 F CFA 784

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.25 F CFA 707

56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.74 F CFA 988

353.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.11 F CFA 631

-10.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

7.72%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$266 F CFA 151.1K

-68.82%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

-77.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

-58.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

-57.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

253.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

-47.40%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$185 F CFA 104.8K

71.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

-6.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

243.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

265.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

1024.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

118.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$199 F CFA 113.0K

138.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$149 F CFA 84.6K

150.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$571 F CFA 324.3K

48.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$283 F CFA 160.6K

154.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$171 F CFA 97.3K

264.47%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $199 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 264% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Cotonou. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $209, 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 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 264% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $199 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $997 in Cotonou – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,003 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 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.