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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,255 in Luanda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,347 in Luanda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,439 in Luanda.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 19% less than in Luanda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Luanda 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.73 AOA 5,234

3.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$47.56 AOA 43.4K

-29.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.06 AOA 7,356

-10.30%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.53 AOA 3,222

-53.82%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.61 AOA 1,474

-32.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.06 AOA 964

-31.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.53 AOA 1,394

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.73 AOA 1,577

86.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.00 AOA 1,830

-47.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.21 AOA 1,107

6.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.38 AOA 1,261

-4.35%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.14 AOA 1,957

6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$12.27 AOA 11.2K

-64.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.81 AOA 5,308

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.00 AOA 9,127

-13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.55 AOA 2,325

-11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.06 AOA 971

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.12 AOA 2,847

-51.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.12 AOA 1,934

-33.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.74 AOA 1,591

-32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.52 AOA 1,387

-23.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.96 AOA 1,791

-54.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.45 AOA 413

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.34 AOA 2,136

-3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.11 AOA 5,577

80.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.56 AOA 508

103.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.26 AOA 1,151

88.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.33 AOA 304

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$32.72 AOA 29.9K

28.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.22 AOA 1,111

15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.86 AOA 783

120.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.86 AOA 5,349

32.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.39 AOA 354

158.97%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.1K AOA 18.3M

-12.33%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.6K AOA 26.1M

-7.48%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$97.8 AOA 89.3K

-14.44%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$19.81 AOA 18.1K

-52.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$131 AOA 119.2K

-81.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$43.45 AOA 39.7K

-41.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.30 AOA 13.1K

33.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.41 AOA 4,023

-7.03%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$695 AOA 634.3K

-55.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$14.9K AOA 13.7M

-59.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$95.8 AOA 87.5K

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$78.1 AOA 71.3K

-58.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$129 AOA 118.0K

-22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$257 AOA 234.7K

-57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$530 AOA 484.4K

-9.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$292 AOA 266.9K

29.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$2,377 AOA 2.2M

-64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,331 AOA 1.2M

-45.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$12.2K AOA 11.1M

-76.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$883 AOA 806.3K

38.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,382 AOA 1.3M

-60.88%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Luanda: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $530 in Luanda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays 156% 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 $223 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,255 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Luanda earns 156% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $530 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 28% less than in Luanda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $695 in Luanda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,255 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 23% less than in Luanda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.