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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,251 in Luanda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,350 in Luanda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,449 in Luanda.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 17% less than in Luanda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Luanda 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.01 AOA 5,550

-1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$48.20 AOA 44.5K

-32.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.87 AOA 7,274

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.65 AOA 3,367

-53.42%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.66 AOA 1,536

-33.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.05 AOA 974

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.58 AOA 1,459

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.79 AOA 1,650

73.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.99 AOA 1,840

-46.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.16 AOA 1,069

7.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.42 AOA 1,314

-2.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.13 AOA 1,965

6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.42 AOA 11.5K

-65.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.83 AOA 5,385

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.63 AOA 8,895

-8.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.53 AOA 2,335

-11.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.10 AOA 1,017

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.10 AOA 2,862

-50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.04 AOA 1,883

-32.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.75 AOA 1,620

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.54 AOA 1,425

-27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.96 AOA 1,814

-56.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.42 AOA 386

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.31 AOA 2,136

0.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.45 AOA 6,885

49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.59 AOA 548

101.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.32 AOA 1,216

79.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.34 AOA 311

132.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$33.06 AOA 30.5K

24.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.16 AOA 1,074

24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.90 AOA 829

112.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.93 AOA 5,477

35.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.35 AOA 326

168.57%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.1K AOA 18.6M

-10.85%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.4K AOA 26.2M

-5.62%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$97.2 AOA 89.8K

-13.62%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$20.53 AOA 19.0K

-53.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$133 AOA 122.9K

-81.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$43.79 AOA 40.5K

-40.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.36 AOA 13.3K

32.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.61 AOA 4,258

-14.97%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$705 AOA 651.3K

-56.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$15.0K AOA 13.8M

-60.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$96.5 AOA 89.2K

-40.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$77.9 AOA 72.0K

-59.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$131 AOA 120.6K

-23.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$258 AOA 238.6K

-58.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$520 AOA 480.7K

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$287 AOA 265.5K

28.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,356 AOA 2.2M

-64.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,322 AOA 1.2M

-45.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$12.9K AOA 11.9M

-77.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$880 AOA 812.7K

59.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,400 AOA 1.3M

-61.03%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Luanda: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $520 in Luanda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays 157% 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 $190 vs $225 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,251 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Luanda earns 157% less. 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: $487 in Medellin versus $520 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 24% less than in Luanda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $705 in Luanda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,251 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 21% less than in Luanda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.