Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elmina Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elmina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $526 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,284 in Elmina, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Elmina 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.45 GHS 51.4

38.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$48.28 GHS 557

-32.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.79 GHS 89.9

-5.78%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.54 GHS 40.91

-51.41%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.92 GHS 10.67

14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.34 GHS 3.96

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.58 GHS 18.18

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.48 GHS 28.58

27.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.47 GHS 40.05

-69.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.45 GHS 16.79

-10.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.37 GHS 27.31

-40.93%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.40 GHS 27.68

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.04 GHS 127

-60.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.54 GHS 52.4

29.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.82 GHS 67.2

48.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.91 GHS 33.59

-21.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.40 GHS 16.11

-20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.71 GHS 19.68

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.21 GHS 36.99

-57.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.00 GHS 34.61

-62.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.44 GHS 28.12

-53.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.75 GHS 8.68

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.49 GHS 5.60

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.65 GHS 19.04

41.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.42 GHS 85.7

66.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.11 GHS 12.84

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.96 GHS 22.62

27.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.62 GHS 18.64

-12.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.17 GHS 13.53

64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.48 GHS 63.2

39.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.09 GHS 12.58

-9.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$8,156 GHS 94.1K

121.05%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$9,546 GHS 110.2K

178.93%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$56.5 GHS 651

43.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.33 GHS 154

-25.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$38.32 GHS 442

-36.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.92 GHS 114

-59.88%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$71.4 GHS 824

327.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,919 GHS 91.4K

-23.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$14.66 GHS 169

296.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.23 GHS 222

67.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$28.80 GHS 332

249.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$41.81 GHS 483

157.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

25.4

-47.13%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Elmina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $48.00 in Elmina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $234 – 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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 96%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $789 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $48.00 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elmina – 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 Elmina. 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.