Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouagadougou Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouagadougou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,029 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,668 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,307 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Ouagadougou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ouagadougou are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ouagadougou 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.19 F CFA 2,925

15.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$23.37 F CFA 13.2K

40.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.86 F CFA 4,435

-9.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

-5.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.78 F CFA 443

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.58 F CFA 328

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.08 F CFA 607

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

69.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.79 F CFA 1,575

-60.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.98 F CFA 550

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.03 F CFA 578

33.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.04 F CFA 1,713

-27.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$17.65 F CFA 9,954

-75.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$21.28 F CFA 12.0K

-73.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.67 F CFA 7,143

-29.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.48 F CFA 2,526

-47.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.34 F CFA 756

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.02 F CFA 574

47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.41 F CFA 1,359

-42.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.26 F CFA 1,276

-49.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.32 F CFA 742

-12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.84 F CFA 475

5.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.31 F CFA 737

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.73 F CFA 978

31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$6.19 F CFA 3,489

71.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.23 F CFA 695

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.33 F CFA 1,315

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.16 F CFA 90.8

437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.55 F CFA 311

167.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.56 F CFA 879

25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.47 F CFA 832

-35.37%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$37.9K F CFA 21.4M

-52.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$36.7K F CFA 20.7M

-27.80%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$126 F CFA 71.3K

-34.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$35.94 F CFA 20.3K

-73.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$49.09 F CFA 27.7K

-50.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$61.8 F CFA 34.8K

-58.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$8.89 F CFA 5,014

113.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.08 F CFA 5,123

-56.72%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$131 F CFA 73.8K

136.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$17.6K F CFA 9.9M

-66.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$433 F CFA 244.3K

9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$274 F CFA 154.4K

38.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,271 F CFA 716.6K

-34.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$765 F CFA 431.2K

-5.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$889 F CFA 501.4K

213.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$266 F CFA 150.0K

355.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$622 F CFA 350.8K

-17.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ouagadougou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $433 in Ouagadougou. 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 22% higher in Ouagadougou, 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 $23.00 in Ouagadougou. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $350 in Ouagadougou – so Medellin 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 Ouagadougou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ouagadougou is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,544 in Ouagadougou. 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 $23.00 in Ouagadougou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Ouagadougou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Ouagadougou at $1,029. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ouagadougou 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, Ouagadougou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.