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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $605 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,254 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,903 in Malabo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 67% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Malabo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Malabo 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

-52.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

-18.13%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

-67.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.89 FCFA 505

23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.90 FCFA 510

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

-60.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

-48.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

-35.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

-17.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.93 FCFA 525

-4.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.23 FCFA 693

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

-50.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.44 FCFA 814

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.33 FCFA 753

-35.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

55.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.91 FCFA 513

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.80 FCFA 452

145.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

-13.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

-45.06%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

-9.46%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

-45.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

39.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

-26.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

27.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

-29.32%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$359 FCFA 202.2K

1563.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

117.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$132 FCFA 74.2K

-75.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$266 FCFA 150.0K

79.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$123 FCFA 69.4K

207.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$956 FCFA 539.2K

-12.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$522 FCFA 294.3K

38.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$847 FCFA 477.4K

229.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$634 FCFA 357.8K

90.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Malabo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $266 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 $69.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $188 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $605 in Malabo – roughly 67% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $907 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 56% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $605, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $605 in Malabo to $1,013 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.