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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,653 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,636 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $3,620 in Douala, rent included.

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Douala is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$8.78 FCFA 4,958

-31.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$125 FCFA 70.8K

-73.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$5.23 FCFA 2,952

41.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.89 FCFA 1,070

-12.70%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.64 FCFA 929

-34.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.80 FCFA 452

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.14 FCFA 641

50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

24.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.82 FCFA 1,594

-62.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.42 FCFA 237

211.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.30 FCFA 1,296

-41.74%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.93 FCFA 1,091

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$23.40 FCFA 13.2K

-81.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$7.84 FCFA 4,427

-27.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$6.34 FCFA 3,576

34.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$4.96 FCFA 2,799

-52.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.14 FCFA 1,210

-48.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.13 FCFA 1,203

-28.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.35 FCFA 763

1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$3.29 FCFA 1,859

-65.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.18 FCFA 1,232

-45.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.74 FCFA 415

13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.67 FCFA 377

28.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.54 FCFA 2,000

-36.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$8.53 FCFA 4,814

35.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.35 FCFA 761

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.90 FCFA 1,073

30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.68 FCFA 386

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$17.62 FCFA 9,944

131.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.51 FCFA 285

188.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.75 FCFA 426

156.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$8.30 FCFA 4,687

-6.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.42 FCFA 800

-28.87%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$30.5K FCFA 17.2M

-42.12%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$16.1K FCFA 9.1M

64.58%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$166 FCFA 93.8K

-51.19%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$26.06 FCFA 14.7K

-63.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$180 FCFA 101.3K

-86.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$23.22 FCFA 13.1K

11.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$3.43 FCFA 1,936

445.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$9.03 FCFA 5,094

-54.71%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$542 FCFA 306.1K

-42.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$3,498 FCFA 2.0M

72.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$81.1 FCFA 45.8K

-26.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$68.3 FCFA 38.6K

-53.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$142 FCFA 80.3K

-28.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$157 FCFA 88.4K

-32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$898 FCFA 506.8K

-45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$583 FCFA 328.8K

-37.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,942 FCFA 1.1M

-57.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,131 FCFA 638.5K

-35.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,085 FCFA 1.2M

43.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$997 FCFA 562.8K

31.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$166 FCFA 93.5K

232.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

19.21

-30.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Douala: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $898 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 233% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $125 in Douala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $284 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Douala is pricier by about 61%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,479 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 49% more in Douala, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $125 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Douala at $1,653. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.