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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $666 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $927 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,188 in Limbe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 55% more expensive than in Limbe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Limbe 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.47 FCFA 2,569

37.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.13 FCFA 647

52.21%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.64 FCFA 940

-35.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.86 FCFA 496

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.81 FCFA 1,038

-6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.67 FCFA 1,535

18.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.62 FCFA 1,501

-59.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.68 FCFA 966

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.18 FCFA 1,249

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.55 FCFA 5,482

-54.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.92 FCFA 2,827

19.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.44 FCFA 3,695

34.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.97 FCFA 1,129

15.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.15 FCFA 663

-3.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.92 FCFA 1,105

-20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.99 FCFA 1,145

-32.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.96 FCFA 1,127

-42.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.92 FCFA 529

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.79 FCFA 1,026

-49.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.72 FCFA 1,564

-13.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.82 FCFA 5,065

40.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.96 FCFA 1,125

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.62 FCFA 1,504

-4.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.90 FCFA 514

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$26.20 FCFA 15.0K

54.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.54 FCFA 311

162.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.21 FCFA 122

814.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.81 FCFA 1,037

323.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.19 FCFA 686

-16.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$89.3 FCFA 51.3K

-9.51%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$85.2 FCFA 48.9K

-71.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$44.33 FCFA 25.5K

-43.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.37 FCFA 2,511

-8.92%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$356 FCFA 204.6K

-14.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,798 FCFA 1.0M

236.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$117 FCFA 67.1K

307.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$114 FCFA 65.6K

229.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$356 FCFA 204.6K

137.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$207 FCFA 118.6K

253.71%

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

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Limbe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 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 55% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $666 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,000 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: $477 in Medellin versus $117 in Limbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $356 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 55% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Limbe versus $1,031 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 55% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.