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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $441 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $745 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,049 in Benin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 272% more than Benin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Benin is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$1.38 ₦1,825

482.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$50.9 ₦67.5K

-5.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.78 ₦7,655

62.98%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.89 ₦3,831

1.73%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.29 ₦388

541.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.16 ₦218

812.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$0.97 ₦1,291

230.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.01 ₦1,342

465.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$3.05 ₦4,039

-52.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.78 ₦1,031

207.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.21 ₦1,603

40.50%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.28 ₦3,019

26.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.50 ₦4,644

187.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.82 ₦5,064

160.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$4.38 ₦5,799

224.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.69 ₦2,243

135.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.26 ₦1,673

25.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.15 ₦1,526

86.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.28 ₦1,693

79.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.33 ₦1,760

50.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.32 ₦1,756

14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.86 ₦1,134

39.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.37 ₦489

245.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$0.54 ₦719

611.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$2.70 ₦3,583

418.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.55 ₦723

210.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$0.47 ₦619

482.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.65 ₦856

101.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.99 ₦1,307

119.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.22 ₦2,937

273.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.74 ₦978

83.78%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$11.5K ₦15.3M

137.94%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$13.6K ₦18.1M

168.20%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$112 ₦147.9K

51.20%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$16.10 ₦21.3K

-15.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$32.40 ₦42.9K

-12.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.80 ₦6,363

38.54%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$661 ₦875.9K

21.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$20.0K ₦26.5M

-54.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$14.73 ₦19.5K

493.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$18.08 ₦24.0K

228.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$36.46 ₦48.3K

280.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$49.61 ₦65.7K

105.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$114 ₦150.9K

475.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.05

-39.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Benin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 475% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $51.0 in Benin. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $146 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 272%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $661 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $51.0 in Benin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 106% 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 $441, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.