Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and N'Djamena

For one person, living is cheaper in N’Djamena: $1,079 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
N'Djamena, Chad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
N'Djamena
🇹🇩 Chad
$1,079
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in N'Djamena

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in N'Djamena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,079 in N’Djamena, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • N'Djamena $1,079

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,438 in N’Djamena, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • N'Djamena $1,438

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,797 in N’Djamena, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • N'Djamena $1,797

Medellin costs about 52% more than N’Djamena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while N’Djamena is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.6K
$8.57 FCFA 5,033
-5.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.9K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,540
$0.81 FCFA 479
271.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,693
$0.82 FCFA 482
119.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,469
$0.81 FCFA 477
74.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
$1.30 FCFA 764
144.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.2K
$1.68 FCFA 988
242.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,778
$3.65 FCFA 2,147
-58.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,524
$0.33 FCFA 193
621.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,606
$3.45 FCFA 2,029
-48.70%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,146
$2.05 FCFA 1,205
40.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.2K
$3.38 FCFA 1,983
201.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.2K
$6.85 FCFA 4,025
44.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.3K
$3.48 FCFA 2,044
302.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.6K
$4.80 FCFA 2,818
-17.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,911
$2.17 FCFA 1,276
-28.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,907
$2.51 FCFA 1,476
-13.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,910
$2.51 FCFA 1,476
-13.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,210
$1.56 FCFA 917
25.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,029
$1.56 FCFA 918
1.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,625
$0.52 FCFA 306
121.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,934
$2.09 FCFA 1,228
-40.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$1.02 FCFA 600
288.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.3K
$7.84 FCFA 4,606
74.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,252
$1.17 FCFA 686
41.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,145
$1.72 FCFA 1,013
31.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,696
$0.42 FCFA 247
178.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 244.8K
$84.0 FCFA 49.4K
-7.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,013
$0.42 FCFA 246
202.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,480
$0.44 FCFA 261
365.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.1K
$5.09 FCFA 2,993
67.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,262
$1.26 FCFA 738
7.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.8M
$11.9K FCFA 7.0M
186.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.7M
$10.9K FCFA 6.4M
216.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 536.8K
$41.76 FCFA 24.5K
306.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.9K
$25.47 FCFA 15.0K
-46.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.8K
$422 FCFA 247.6K
-93.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 138.3K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.9K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.8M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 268.1K
$25.74 FCFA 15.1K
229.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 183.4K
$34.14 FCFA 20.1K
69.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 427.1K
$43.28 FCFA 25.4K
211.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 309.7K
$85.3 FCFA 50.1K
14.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$1,734 FCFA 1.0M
-30.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$85.8 FCFA 50.4K
647.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$255 FCFA 149.8K
694.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$173 FCFA 101.8K
483.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
N'Djamena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$341 FCFA 200.0K
92.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.5
212.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for N'Djamena: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
N'Djamena
$86 86.6% $556
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
N'Djamena
$236 20.4% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
N'Djamena
$489 131% $278
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
N'Djamena
$95 * 44.2% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
N'Djamena
$85 49.8% $84
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
N'Djamena
$88 5.6% $5.2
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
N'Djamena
- * 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,734 in N’Djamena. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 93% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇹🇩 N'Djamena
🕒 Local time
02:32 2:32 AM
08:32 8:32 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
1,092,066 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,531 COP (10,000 COP = 2.83 EUR).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 587 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin N'Djamena 9,930 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • N'Djamena

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 N'Djamena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is N’Djamena cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,618 in N’Djamena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,734 in N’Djamena.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in N’Djamena?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 8% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in N’Djamena?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in N’Djamena, where all-in costs run around $1,079, than in Medellin at $1,639. In N’Djamena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in N’Djamena?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,079 in N’Djamena to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with N’Djamena. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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