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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $352 in Maroua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $513 in Maroua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $675 in Maroua.

Living in Medellin is roughly 192% 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.80 FCFA 1,015

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.85 FCFA 479

54.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.94 FCFA 1,659

-54.42%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.72 FCFA 1,535

-19.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$5.36 FCFA 3,026

-17.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$5.43 FCFA 3,064

4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$3.59 FCFA 2,025

137.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.80 FCFA 1,014

30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.86 FCFA 487

29.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.84 FCFA 475

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.78 FCFA 1,004

-23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.67 FCFA 1,505

-56.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.79 FCFA 1,013

-34.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.92 FCFA 517

-6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$11.62 FCFA 6,557

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$0.85 FCFA 482

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.78 FCFA 1,004

39.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$53.3 FCFA 30.1K

52.27%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$9.00 FCFA 5,079

4.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$17.34 FCFA 9,790

49.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$1.78 FCFA 1,003

951.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$87.7 FCFA 49.5K

316.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$160 FCFA 90.3K

356.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Maroua: June 14, 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 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $528 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 $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $352 in Maroua – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $352 in Maroua versus $1,028 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 192% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.