Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maiduguri Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maiduguri

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $186 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $342 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $497 in Maiduguri.

Living in Medellin is roughly 456% more expensive than Maiduguri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Maiduguri 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$1.52 ₦2,075

289.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$12.11 ₦16.5K

170.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$2.85 ₦3,893

152.63%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$1.30 ₦1,777

30.77%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.37 ₦512

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.29 ₦400

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.98 ₦1,340

27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.95 ₦2,657

-28.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.78 ₦2,437

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$4.94 ₦6,747

18.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$4.10 ₦5,599

115.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$3.91 ₦5,339

-42.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.03 ₦1,402

33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.46 ₦1,994

-22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.97 ₦1,327

15.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.42 ₦571

102.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.29 ₦393

213.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.57 ₦777

38.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.39 ₦533

141.03%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$8.15 ₦11.1K

17.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$7.98 ₦10.9K

138.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$19.97 ₦27.3K

189.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$18.17 ₦24.8K

75.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$24.96 ₦34.1K

300.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$24.74 ₦33.8K

333.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Maiduguri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $98.0 per month, with Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maiduguri is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 456% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $279 in Maiduguri 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 94% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maiduguri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $186 in Maiduguri versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maiduguri but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maiduguri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maiduguri is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Maiduguri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 456% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.