Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,382 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,200 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,018 in Douala, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Douala sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Douala by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.35 FCFA 2,486

84.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$123 FCFA 70.1K

-61.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.18 FCFA 4,100

37.74%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.10 FCFA 1,200

49.05%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.72 FCFA 985

11.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.81 FCFA 461

86.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.26 FCFA 720

147.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.62 FCFA 1,496

119.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.96 FCFA 1,693

-51.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.42 FCFA 239

492.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.32 FCFA 1,326

-23.71%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.01 FCFA 1,147

47.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$23.14 FCFA 13.2K

-56.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.02 FCFA 4,582

26.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.52 FCFA 3,728

119.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.73 FCFA 2,702

-12.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.17 FCFA 1,238

-25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.15 FCFA 1,227

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.43 FCFA 815

57.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.28 FCFA 1,877

-37.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.24 FCFA 1,278

-31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.72 FCFA 413

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.65 FCFA 371

101.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.67 FCFA 1,527

46.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.88 FCFA 5,073

57.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.52 FCFA 870

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.85 FCFA 1,059

55.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.65 FCFA 370

87.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$17.44 FCFA 9,968

361.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.59 FCFA 338

122.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.91 FCFA 521

140.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.22 FCFA 4,698

5.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.45 FCFA 827

-5.52%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$30.4K FCFA 17.3M

-8.30%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

121.95%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$165 FCFA 94.0K

7.73%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$26.52 FCFA 15.2K

-47.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$185 FCFA 105.6K

-83.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$42.26 FCFA 24.1K

6.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.02 FCFA 5,157

-26.27%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$539 FCFA 307.9K

50.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,461 FCFA 2.0M

165.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$80.8 FCFA 46.2K

10.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$68.2 FCFA 39.0K

-13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$145 FCFA 82.8K

-4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$155 FCFA 88.8K

-34.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$566 FCFA 323.6K

87.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$331 FCFA 189.4K

100.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,385 FCFA 791.5K

36.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$560 FCFA 320.1K

83.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

102.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$990 FCFA 565.5K

69.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$232 FCFA 132.5K

192.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

19.04

-42.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Douala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $566 in Douala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 192% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $123 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $287 in Douala – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,073 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $123 in Douala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,382, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Douala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.