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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $189 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $343 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $498 in Maiduguri.

Living in Medellin is roughly 439% more expensive than Maiduguri, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Maiduguri 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.56 ₦2,125

281.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$11.97 ₦16.3K

178.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.86 ₦3,892

152.80%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.36 ₦1,851

19.85%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.37 ₦508

194.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.29 ₦396

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.02 ₦1,386

26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.99 ₦2,704

-33.67%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.77 ₦2,412

28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.91 ₦6,670

19.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.04 ₦5,495

113.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.99 ₦5,424

-43.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.97 ₦1,323

46.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.52 ₦2,065

-23.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.98 ₦1,335

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.38 ₦518

134.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.31 ₦426

190.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.53 ₦718

58.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.39 ₦531

158.97%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.23 ₦11.2K

14.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$8.21 ₦11.2K

133.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$19.77 ₦26.9K

193.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$18.11 ₦24.6K

79.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$25.19 ₦34.2K

295.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$24.84 ₦33.8K

336.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: June 7, 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 $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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 439% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $283 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 93% 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 $189 in Maiduguri versus $1,017 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 439% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.