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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $441 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $809 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,177 in Benin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 129% more than Benin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Benin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Benin 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.51 ₦3,417

138.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$49.30 ₦67.1K

-33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.44 ₦7,402

30.33%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.20 ₦2,989

-22.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.33 ₦454

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.22 ₦300

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.80 ₦1,092

110.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.44 ₦1,961

113.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.28 ₦3,104

-52.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.20 ₦1,638

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.22 ₦3,029

-37.84%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.72 ₦2,337

27.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.34 ₦8,627

-30.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.32 ₦5,876

30.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.32 ₦7,241

67.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.43 ₦4,675

-31.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.11 ₦2,873

-49.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.16 ₦2,948

-30.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.31 ₦3,141

-40.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.37 ₦3,221

-51.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.93 ₦2,631

-39.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.99 ₦2,704

-55.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.39 ₦528

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.27 ₦1,728

79.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$2.62 ₦3,568

306.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.63 ₦856

90.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$0.88 ₦1,199

180.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.24 ₦1,683

18.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.26 ₦3,072

-13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.59 ₦6,248

68.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.78 ₦1,059

21.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.7K ₦28.2M

-12.60%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.9K ₦28.4M

26.89%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$41.88 ₦57.0K

96.39%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.07 ₦13.7K

-5.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$34.35 ₦46.8K

-29.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.29 ₦8,570

-37.52%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$84.5 ₦115.0K

266.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,332 ₦3.2M

155.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$19.31 ₦26.3K

203.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.64 ₦33.6K

31.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$65.4 ₦89.1K

56.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$57.6 ₦78.4K

88.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$109 ₦148.1K

370.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Benin: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 371% 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 $49.00 in Benin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $191 – 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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 129%, 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 $662 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 $49.00 in Benin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benin, where all-in costs run around $441, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.