Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Limbe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Limbe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $637 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $880 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,124 in Limbe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 59% more expensive than Limbe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Limbe 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.35 FCFA 2,453

37.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.08 FCFA 611

58.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.61 FCFA 905

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.91 FCFA 512

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.77 FCFA 999

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

18.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.62 FCFA 1,477

-58.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.63 FCFA 918

-15.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.15 FCFA 1,213

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.49 FCFA 5,354

-53.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.93 FCFA 2,778

14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.32 FCFA 3,562

40.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.98 FCFA 1,117

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.20 FCFA 679

-11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.99 FCFA 1,120

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.89 FCFA 1,068

-26.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.95 FCFA 1,102

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.87 FCFA 490

2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.81 FCFA 1,020

-53.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.73 FCFA 1,537

-16.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.08 FCFA 1,173

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.62 FCFA 1,477

-5.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.86 FCFA 485

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$26.15 FCFA 14.7K

58.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.54 FCFA 305

172.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.18 FCFA 102

988.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.79 FCFA 1,008

332.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.16 FCFA 653

-18.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$87.0 FCFA 49.0K

-5.42%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$85.1 FCFA 48.0K

-71.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$43.24 FCFA 24.4K

-40.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.28 FCFA 2,414

-8.18%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$349 FCFA 196.6K

-11.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,767 FCFA 996.5K

237.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$117 FCFA 65.9K

307.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$112 FCFA 63.0K

239.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$358 FCFA 201.9K

134.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$200 FCFA 112.9K

261.67%

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

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Limbe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $117 in Limbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Limbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Limbe differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $637 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $955 in Limbe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $117 in Limbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $349 in Limbe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Limbe runs roughly 58% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $637 in Limbe versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Limbe but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Limbe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Limbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.