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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $532 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $903 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Elmina, rent included.

Medellin costs about 90% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Elmina 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.31 GHS 50.7

38.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$47.20 GHS 554

-30.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.91 GHS 92.9

-10.37%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.49 GHS 40.97

-51.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.93 GHS 10.87

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.34 GHS 4.05

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.56 GHS 18.37

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.56 GHS 30.01

19.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$3.45 GHS 40.52

-68.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.43 GHS 16.81

-11.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.35 GHS 27.59

-41.28%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.30 GHS 26.98

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.32 GHS 133

-61.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.79 GHS 56.2

17.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.00 GHS 70.5

48.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.89 GHS 33.93

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.43 GHS 16.81

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.69 GHS 19.83

-11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.19 GHS 37.48

-56.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$3.10 GHS 36.34

-62.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.43 GHS 28.55

-52.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.77 GHS 9.00

15.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.51 GHS 6.03

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.59 GHS 18.62

43.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.05 GHS 82.8

50.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.12 GHS 13.16

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.93 GHS 22.68

27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.55 GHS 18.18

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.21 GHS 14.18

61.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.40 GHS 63.3

43.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.07 GHS 12.59

-11.21%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$7,843 GHS 92.1K

131.17%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$9,458 GHS 111.0K

180.03%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$54.7 GHS 642

50.50%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.44 GHS 158

-29.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.50 GHS 440

-35.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.70 GHS 114

-59.48%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$73.4 GHS 861

321.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,040 GHS 94.4K

-25.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$14.53 GHS 171

303.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$18.52 GHS 217

74.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$29.62 GHS 348

246.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$40.75 GHS 478

166.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Elmina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Elmina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $236 – 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 90%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $798 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 $47.00 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% 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 $532, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.