Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Niamey Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Niamey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,372 in Niamey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,807 in Niamey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,241 in Niamey, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Niamey, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Niamey is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.44 F CFA 3,069

10.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$39.89 F CFA 22.5K

-17.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.65 F CFA 6,007

-33.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.19 F CFA 1,797

-46.39%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.52 F CFA 854

-27.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.69 F CFA 387

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.35 F CFA 761

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.13 F CFA 1,767

-1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.44 F CFA 1,377

-55.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.61 F CFA 344

106.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.25 F CFA 706

10.40%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.45 F CFA 1,384

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.56 F CFA 4,266

-25.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.78 F CFA 4,389

14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.33 F CFA 2,440

-45.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.48 F CFA 835

-28.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.86 F CFA 1,612

-47.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.05 F CFA 1,156

-32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.48 F CFA 837

-22.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.74 F CFA 420

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.91 F CFA 516

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.32 F CFA 744

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.59 F CFA 1,460

-11.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$14.39 F CFA 8,113

-26.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.35 F CFA 763

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.16 F CFA 1,217

14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.59 F CFA 334

45.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$26.97 F CFA 15.2K

53.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.46 F CFA 259

219.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.39 F CFA 219

402.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.21 F CFA 3,504

24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.01 F CFA 571

-5.94%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.8K F CFA 11.7M

-12.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.0K F CFA 14.1M

5.94%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$357 F CFA 201.4K

-76.97%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.71 F CFA 9,989

-46.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$8.58 F CFA 4,838

182.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$64.5 F CFA 36.4K

-59.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$8.87 F CFA 5,001

114.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.91 F CFA 2,770

-19.96%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$1,008 F CFA 568.5K

-69.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,765 F CFA 2.7M

25.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$43.42 F CFA 24.5K

35.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$53.5 F CFA 30.1K

-39.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$39.44 F CFA 22.2K

160.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$49.06 F CFA 27.7K

121.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$971 F CFA 547.6K

-50.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$445 F CFA 251.0K

-14.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$884 F CFA 498.8K

-5.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$462 F CFA 260.8K

56.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,792 F CFA 1.0M

55.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$994 F CFA 560.3K

21.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$402 F CFA 226.7K

27.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Niamey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $971 in Niamey. 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 27% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Niamey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $224 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Niamey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Niamey is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,057 in Niamey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Niamey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,372 in Niamey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Niamey at $1,372. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Niamey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Niamey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.