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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,327 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,194 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,061 in Dakar.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 24% less than in Dakar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Dakar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.42 F CFA 3,061

10.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

-38.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.21 F CFA 5,761

-30.56%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.43 F CFA 2,500

-61.40%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.86 F CFA 484

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.09 F CFA 616

-28.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.57 F CFA 1,451

-34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.36 F CFA 2,460

-29.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.52 F CFA 1,424

-56.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.64 F CFA 360

96.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.61 F CFA 907

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.88 F CFA 1,627

-23.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.78 F CFA 7,215

-65.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.50 F CFA 5,361

-40.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.76 F CFA 6,075

-17.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.72 F CFA 1,538

-13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.99 F CFA 1,122

-46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.61 F CFA 1,475

-42.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.08 F CFA 1,175

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.50 F CFA 845

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.34 F CFA 759

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.06 F CFA 600

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.82 F CFA 460

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.61 F CFA 909

41.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.38 F CFA 8,682

-30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.18 F CFA 668

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.22 F CFA 1,255

11.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.36 F CFA 204

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$80.5 F CFA 45.5K

-48.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.68 F CFA 1,515

-45.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.83 F CFA 1,600

-30.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$17.99 F CFA 10.2K

-56.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.71 F CFA 964

-44.44%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-49.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

-46.21%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$138 F CFA 78.1K

-40.56%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.92 F CFA 5,602

-4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$50.4 F CFA 28.5K

-51.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

-54.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

-11.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.02 F CFA 5,091

-56.43%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$272 F CFA 153.6K

13.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

-16.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

-26.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$914 F CFA 515.7K

-47.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$369 F CFA 208.4K

2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

-55.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$938 F CFA 529.3K

-22.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

-44.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,491 F CFA 841.9K

-18.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$431 F CFA 243.4K

18.67%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $914 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 19% 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 $53.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $276 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $1,327 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 19% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,327 in Dakar – a 31% 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 $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,327 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 31% less than in Dakar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.