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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $173 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $294 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $416 in Maiduguri.

Living in Medellin is roughly 873% more expensive than in Maiduguri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Maiduguri is 87% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$0.51 ₦673

1472.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$3.71 ₦4,921

1190.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$1.86 ₦2,471

431.72%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.88 ₦1,168

255.68%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.20 ₦264

855.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.23 ₦304

556.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.97 ₦1,288

156.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.03 ₦2,690

-12.81%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.78 ₦2,360

66.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.05 ₦6,695

100.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$3.93 ₦5,205

263.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.05 ₦5,363

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.01 ₦1,342

122.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.47 ₦1,947

38.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.02 ₦1,350

50.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.39 ₦516

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.31 ₦414

322.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.37 ₦485

229.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.25 ₦328

448.00%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$7.93 ₦10.5K

75.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$7.89 ₦10.5K

116.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$20.07 ₦26.6K

345.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$17.70 ₦23.5K

233.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$25.20 ₦33.4K

448.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$24.66 ₦32.7K

314.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $4.00 in Maiduguri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $99.0 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 873% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $259 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 208% 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 $4.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $173 in Maiduguri versus $1,681 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 873% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.