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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $346 in Maroua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $518 in Maroua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $689 in Maroua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 199% more expensive than Maroua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Maroua 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.78 FCFA 1,001

-40.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.86 FCFA 484

45.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.97 FCFA 1,668

-53.20%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.75 FCFA 1,541

-17.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.45 FCFA 3,054

-20.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.20 FCFA 2,916

12.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$3.45 FCFA 1,933

155.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.80 FCFA 1,009

24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.91 FCFA 512

18.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.89 FCFA 500

71.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.72 FCFA 967

-20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.68 FCFA 1,503

-57.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.79 FCFA 1,005

-37.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.90 FCFA 506

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.73 FCFA 6,580

-5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.85 FCFA 477

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.78 FCFA 997

33.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$52.0 FCFA 29.2K

61.37%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.05 FCFA 5,073

6.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.57 FCFA 9,855

47.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$1.78 FCFA 1,001

969.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$87.0 FCFA 48.8K

322.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$158 FCFA 88.5K

353.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maroua: April 27, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $519 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 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $346 in Maroua – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $346 in Maroua versus $1,034 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 199% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.