Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dakar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dakar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,318 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,218 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $3,117 in Dakar.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 22% less than in Dakar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dakar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.43 F CFA 3,117

13.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$52.2 F CFA 30.0K

-37.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.20 F CFA 5,856

-28.04%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.37 F CFA 2,512

-60.64%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.89 F CFA 512

17.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.08 F CFA 620

-28.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.70 F CFA 1,552

-37.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.51 F CFA 2,587

-29.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.57 F CFA 1,476

-59.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.67 F CFA 385

94.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.62 F CFA 928

-13.58%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.76 F CFA 1,584

-21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.68 F CFA 7,278

-65.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.44 F CFA 5,421

-37.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.61 F CFA 6,094

-18.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.80 F CFA 1,605

-18.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.98 F CFA 1,138

-43.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.58 F CFA 1,483

-40.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.14 F CFA 1,228

-36.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.54 F CFA 883

-26.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.34 F CFA 772

-15.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.07 F CFA 615

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.82 F CFA 469

10.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.55 F CFA 893

50.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$17.02 F CFA 9,773

-27.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.13 F CFA 649

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.23 F CFA 1,283

11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.36 F CFA 208

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

-48.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.58 F CFA 1,480

-44.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.80 F CFA 1,608

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

-56.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.78 F CFA 1,022

-44.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

-51.12%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

-46.82%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$140 F CFA 80.2K

-42.13%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.57 F CFA 5,494

3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

-50.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$55.5 F CFA 31.9K

-54.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.51 F CFA 12.4K

-10.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.75 F CFA 5,024

-54.51%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$268 F CFA 153.7K

14.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

-17.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

-14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

-26.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$105 F CFA 60.2K

-3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$128 F CFA 73.8K

-16.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$931 F CFA 534.4K

-48.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$369 F CFA 211.7K

2.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

-55.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$933 F CFA 535.4K

-21.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

-36.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,444 F CFA 829.2K

-4.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$420 F CFA 241.3K

46.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.25

62.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $931 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $52.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $279 per month, with Medellin 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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Dakar differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,318 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $931 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,318 in Dakar – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 95% less than in Dakar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,318 in Dakar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dakar. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.