Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Goma

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $429 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$429

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Goma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Goma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $429 in Goma, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Goma $429

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $748 in Goma, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Goma $748

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,067 in Goma, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Goma $1,067

Medellin costs about 282% more than Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Goma is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 25.6K

$15.18 CDF 34.3K

-46.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 148.9K

$44.60 CDF 100.9K

5.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$9.97 CDF 22.6K

-4.71%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,540

$3.53 CDF 7,993

-14.73%

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

$1.80 COP 5,693

$1.03 CDF 2,328

74.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,469

$0.99 CDF 2,238

42.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.19 CDF 2,684

167.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.2K

$4.90 CDF 11.1K

17.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,778

$0.98 CDF 2,211

54.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,524

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,606

$1.17 CDF 2,643

51.28%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,146

$1.58 CDF 3,566

82.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.2K

$5.96 CDF 13.5K

70.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.2K

$2.44 CDF 5,515

304.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.3K

$4.94 CDF 11.2K

183.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.6K

$2.05 CDF 4,644

93.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,911

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,907

$1.53 CDF 3,456

42.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,910

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,210

$0.51 CDF 1,159

284.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,029

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,625

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,934

$0.69 CDF 1,558

79.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,252

$1.95 CDF 4,421

-14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,145

$2.55 CDF 5,772

-11.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,696

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,013

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,480

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,262

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

$34.1K COP 107.8M

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

$34.7K COP 109.7M

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

$170 COP 536.8K

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

$13.55 COP 42.9K

$14.76 CDF 33.4K

-8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.8K

$60.4 CDF 136.6K

-53.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 138.3K

$30.03 CDF 67.9K

45.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.9K

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

$797 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 268.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 183.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 427.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 309.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Goma: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Goma

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Goma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Goma

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Goma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Goma

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Goma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Goma

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $45 in Goma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $107 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇩 Goma

🕒 Local time

00:26 12:26 AM

07:26 7:26 AM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

10,000 CDF = 4.42 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CDF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 2,262 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.42 USD). 1 EUR = 2,518 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.97 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Goma 11,670 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Goma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 282% more than Goma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $644 in Goma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $429 in Goma. That makes Goma about 74% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 178% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Goma, where all-in costs run around $429, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $429 in Goma to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.