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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $924 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,560 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,197 in Limbe.

Living in Medellin is roughly 82% more expensive than in Limbe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Limbe is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$4.38 FCFA 2,500

83.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$125 FCFA 71.2K

-61.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.19 FCFA 4,103

37.55%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.11 FCFA 635

181.98%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.56 FCFA 889

22.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.82 FCFA 466

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.27 FCFA 723

145.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.61 FCFA 1,491

120.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$2.66 FCFA 1,519

-45.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.45 FCFA 255

453.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.67 FCFA 952

5.99%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.99 FCFA 1,138

48.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.59 FCFA 5,473

5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.81 FCFA 2,746

110.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$6.63 FCFA 3,783

115.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.97 FCFA 1,124

110.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.14 FCFA 652

41.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.98 FCFA 1,130

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.42 FCFA 812

58.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.99 FCFA 1,137

2.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$2.23 FCFA 1,273

-30.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.77 FCFA 441

51.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.63 FCFA 358

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.59 FCFA 1,480

50.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.73 FCFA 4,984

60.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.51 FCFA 860

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.87 FCFA 1,068

53.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.85 FCFA 483

43.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$26.65 FCFA 15.2K

201.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.55 FCFA 313

138.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.23 FCFA 132

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.74 FCFA 996

400.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.14 FCFA 650

20.18%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$30.6K FCFA 17.4M

-8.96%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

122.55%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$89.7 FCFA 51.2K

97.72%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$26.16 FCFA 14.9K

-46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$84.2 FCFA 48.0K

-64.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$44.06 FCFA 25.1K

1.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.47 FCFA 2,554

48.77%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$348 FCFA 198.6K

133.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,747 FCFA 996.8K

425.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$83.1 FCFA 47.4K

7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$68.0 FCFA 38.8K

-13.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$145 FCFA 82.7K

-4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$154 FCFA 87.7K

-33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$138 FCFA 78.8K

380.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$140 FCFA 79.9K

633.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

19.04

-42.54%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Limbe: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $125 in Limbe. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $200, with Limbe cheaper for home cooking.

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 82% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $924 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $1,386 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Limbe – a meal for two runs $125 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Limbe versus $1,681 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 82% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.