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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $191 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $344 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $498 in Maiduguri.

Living in Medellin is roughly 424% more expensive than in Maiduguri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Maiduguri 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.52 ₦2,074

288.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.04 ₦16.4K

173.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$2.84 ₦3,880

161.62%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.31 ₦1,781

25.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.35 ₦474

214.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.27 ₦366

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.97 ₦1,325

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.02 ₦2,753

-31.68%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.78 ₦2,434

22.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.85 ₦6,616

19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.08 ₦5,571

119.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.92 ₦5,344

-40.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.99 ₦1,348

37.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.52 ₦2,075

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.97 ₦1,329

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.38 ₦520

136.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.31 ₦423

190.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.57 ₦776

49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.37 ₦500

167.57%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.17 ₦11.1K

18.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.78 ₦10.6K

145.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$20.29 ₦27.7K

195.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$18.18 ₦24.8K

75.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$24.55 ₦33.5K

314.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$25.24 ₦34.4K

325.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: July 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 $193 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 424% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $287 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 98% 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 $191 in Maiduguri versus $1,003 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 424% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.