Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malabo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malabo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $589 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,225 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,862 in Malabo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Malabo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Malabo 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$69.9 FCFA 40.1K

-53.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.68 FCFA 4,984

-15.44%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.20 FCFA 2,988

-66.92%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.90 FCFA 517

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.91 FCFA 521

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.84 FCFA 1,629

-63.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.11 FCFA 2,360

-47.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.80 FCFA 3,905

-35.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.71 FCFA 3,852

-12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.49 FCFA 4,301

15.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.93 FCFA 532

-8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.26 FCFA 725

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.48 FCFA 2,571

-47.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.46 FCFA 839

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.30 FCFA 748

-35.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$26.74 FCFA 15.4K

51.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.84 FCFA 483

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.80 FCFA 460

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.80 FCFA 5,052

-12.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.5K FCFA 19.2M

-46.14%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.5K FCFA 17.0M

-9.84%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.49 FCFA 10.0K

-43.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$17.52 FCFA 10.1K

38.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$34.61 FCFA 19.9K

-27.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.94 FCFA 8,575

28.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.54 FCFA 3,181

-28.16%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$357 FCFA 205.0K

1597.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.55 FCFA 15.2K

118.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$134 FCFA 76.7K

-75.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$89.8 FCFA 51.6K

19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$267 FCFA 153.1K

78.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$124 FCFA 70.9K

204.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$958 FCFA 549.8K

-11.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$520 FCFA 298.7K

40.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$846 FCFA 485.5K

280.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$645 FCFA 370.1K

112.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.8

97.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Malabo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $267 in Malabo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $70.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $147 in Malabo – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $589 in Malabo – roughly 75% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $883 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malabo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $589 in Malabo to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Malabo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.