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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $678 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,146 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,613 in Malabo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 153% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Malabo is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$8.73 FCFA 4,927

-8.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$70.9 FCFA 40.0K

-31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.85 FCFA 4,994

10.40%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$4.80 FCFA 2,710

-39.37%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.85 FCFA 481

128.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.45 FCFA 256

237.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.80 FCFA 1,015

71.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$2.90 FCFA 1,636

-53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.76 FCFA 993

-3.41%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$4.00 FCFA 2,258

-28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$6.56 FCFA 3,701

51.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.13 FCFA 3,459

75.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.30 FCFA 4,121

101.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.45 FCFA 1,384

66.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.74 FCFA 984

-9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.40 FCFA 2,481

-11.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.41 FCFA 798

12.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$0.92 FCFA 519

207.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.79 FCFA 1,011

-34.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$26.36 FCFA 14.9K

194.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.87 FCFA 491

47.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.91 FCFA 513

129.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$8.66 FCFA 4,887

-0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$33.2K FCFA 18.7M

-16.62%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$30.0K FCFA 16.9M

18.31%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$17.67 FCFA 9,973

-24.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

66.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$35.99 FCFA 20.3K

24.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$14.58 FCFA 8,231

17.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.42 FCFA 3,057

14.39%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$359 FCFA 202.6K

2412.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$232 FCFA 130.9K

193.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$348 FCFA 196.4K

478.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$291 FCFA 164.3K

301.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$841 FCFA 474.8K

388.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$656 FCFA 370.4K

159.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.8

60.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Malabo: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $71.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $156 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: $1,716 in Medellin, $678 in Malabo – roughly 153% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,017 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 195% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 95% 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 $678, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $678 in Malabo to $1,716 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.