Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Luanda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Luanda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,228 in Luanda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,327 in Luanda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,426 in Luanda.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 18% less than in Luanda, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Luanda 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$5.99 AOA 5,468

-1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$48.01 AOA 43.8K

-31.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$7.73 AOA 7,052

-3.88%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.66 AOA 3,336

-54.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$1.62 AOA 1,477

-32.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$1.07 AOA 974

-27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$1.58 AOA 1,441

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$1.81 AOA 1,650

75.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$1.97 AOA 1,793

-44.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$1.16 AOA 1,063

8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$1.38 AOA 1,257

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$2.18 AOA 1,993

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$12.58 AOA 11.5K

-64.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$5.85 AOA 5,335

-1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$9.76 AOA 8,906

-8.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$2.57 AOA 2,348

-9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.07 AOA 976

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$3.09 AOA 2,818

-50.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$2.12 AOA 1,932

-35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$1.74 AOA 1,585

-35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.58 AOA 1,438

-25.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$1.95 AOA 1,779

-53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.43 AOA 388

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$2.34 AOA 2,135

-4.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$5.85 AOA 5,340

107.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$0.57 AOA 519

108.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$1.31 AOA 1,194

89.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$0.37 AOA 335

129.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$33.15 AOA 30.2K

25.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$1.16 AOA 1,061

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$0.92 AOA 839

111.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$6.07 AOA 5,534

29.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$0.38 AOA 349

160.53%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$19.8K AOA 18.0M

-10.97%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$28.4K AOA 25.9M

-5.55%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$94.4 AOA 86.1K

-12.03%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$19.93 AOA 18.2K

-51.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$132 AOA 120.5K

-82.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$42.61 AOA 38.9K

-40.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$14.24 AOA 13.0K

34.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$4.36 AOA 3,978

-9.40%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$691 AOA 630.9K

-54.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$14.8K AOA 13.5M

-59.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$95.7 AOA 87.3K

-37.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$77.9 AOA 71.1K

-59.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$130 AOA 118.8K

-21.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$251 AOA 229.0K

-57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$517 AOA 471.8K

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$288 AOA 263.0K

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$2,388 AOA 2.2M

-64.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$1,359 AOA 1.2M

-47.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

$11.9K AOA 10.9M

-72.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$873 AOA 796.6K

65.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$1,405 AOA 1.3M

-55.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-44.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Luanda: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $517 in Luanda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays 125% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $48.00 in Luanda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $222 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Luanda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Luanda differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,228 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Luanda. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $517 in Luanda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 26% less than in Luanda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $691 in Luanda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,228 in Luanda, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Luanda. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Luanda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.