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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $680 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,160 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,640 in Elmina, rent included.

Medellin costs about 152% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Elmina is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$8.14 GHS 92.0

-1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$53.4 GHS 604

-9.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$10.81 GHS 122

-9.62%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.72 GHS 53.3

-38.35%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.65 GHS 18.66

17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.49 GHS 5.48

210.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.86 GHS 21.01

66.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.27 GHS 25.65

152.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$3.81 GHS 43.11

-64.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.80 GHS 20.34

32.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$3.14 GHS 35.48

-45.86%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.71 GHS 30.61

5.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$12.56 GHS 142

-20.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$7.49 GHS 84.6

43.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$10.26 GHS 116

43.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.77 GHS 42.55

8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.47 GHS 16.63

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.86 GHS 21.06

14.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$3.75 GHS 42.42

-41.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$2.81 GHS 31.80

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$2.73 GHS 30.84

-45.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.78 GHS 8.78

52.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.62 GHS 6.95

87.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.59 GHS 29.23

50.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$7.16 GHS 80.9

101.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.32 GHS 14.93

19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.46 GHS 27.75

15.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.73 GHS 19.53

-26.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.29 GHS 14.59

62.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$4.38 GHS 49.50

96.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.39 GHS 15.73

-6.47%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

245.50%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

245.88%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$74.0 GHS 836

138.09%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$19.52 GHS 221

-31.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$43.23 GHS 489

-30.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$13.10 GHS 148

-52.67%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$468 GHS 5,294

69.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

-51.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$14.64 GHS 165

484.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$19.45 GHS 220

200.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$37.21 GHS 420

266.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$55.0 GHS 621

87.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

26.75

-59.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $53.0 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $290 in Elmina – so Elmina 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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 152%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,021 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $53.0 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.