Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Benin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $443 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $798 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,153 in Benin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 132% more than Benin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Benin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Benin 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.64 ₦3,630

133.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$50.3 ₦69.2K

-35.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.43 ₦7,475

35.17%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.20 ₦3,031

-21.82%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.33 ₦459

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.20 ₦275

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.79 ₦1,088

113.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.45 ₦1,989

118.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.27 ₦3,118

-53.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.24 ₦1,705

4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.34 ₦3,222

-40.17%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.77 ₦2,435

22.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.41 ₦8,812

-31.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.12 ₦5,671

42.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.25 ₦7,226

64.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.58 ₦4,930

-36.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.05 ₦2,819

-45.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.13 ₦2,930

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.29 ₦3,150

-41.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.36 ₦3,251

-52.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.93 ₦2,659

-41.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.98 ₦2,725

-57.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.38 ₦524

139.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.31 ₦1,801

78.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$2.60 ₦3,571

375.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.64 ₦884

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.90 ₦1,233

176.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.23 ₦1,698

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.23 ₦3,072

-13.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.80 ₦6,604

59.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.78 ₦1,076

26.92%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.6K ₦28.3M

-12.33%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.5K ₦28.2M

29.72%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$41.15 ₦56.6K

96.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.13 ₦13.9K

-1.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$34.53 ₦47.5K

-29.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.42 ₦8,838

-38.01%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$84.0 ₦115.6K

263.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,328 ₦3.2M

160.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$19.00 ₦26.1K

205.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.97 ₦34.3K

28.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$64.8 ₦89.2K

55.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$57.2 ₦78.7K

88.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$109 ₦150.2K

464.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.33

-17.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Benin: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 465% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Benin. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $191 in Benin – so Benin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 132%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $665 in Benin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in Benin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benin, where all-in costs run around $443, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Benin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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