Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maroua Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maroua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $357 in Maroua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $528 in Maroua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $699 in Maroua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 371% more expensive than in Maroua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Maroua is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

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

$1.80 FCFA 1,031

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.87 FCFA 496

186.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.01 FCFA 1,721

-41.20%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.85 FCFA 3,344

-49.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.38 FCFA 3,076

87.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.16 FCFA 2,951

96.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$3.46 FCFA 1,978

313.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.81 FCFA 1,035

128.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.90 FCFA 516

78.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.86 FCFA 491

161.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.80 FCFA 1,026

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.58 FCFA 1,473

-20.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.80 FCFA 1,030

-14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.91 FCFA 521

43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.27 FCFA 6,440

24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.84 FCFA 478

107.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.74 FCFA 996

64.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

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

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

$51.9 FCFA 29.6K

241.88%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.68 FCFA 4,961

59.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$17.66 FCFA 10.1K

154.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$1.74 FCFA 995

883.91%

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

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$88.8 FCFA 50.7K

646.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$159 FCFA 90.7K

546.93%

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 Maroua: September 12, 2026

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 Maroua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maroua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 371% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $535 in Maroua 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 57% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $357 in Maroua – a 371% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $357 in Maroua versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maroua but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maroua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maroua 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 Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 371% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.