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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,699 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,367 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

Medellin and Ouagadougou have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.40 F CFA 3,102

14.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.98 F CFA 13.8K

35.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.06 F CFA 4,625

-8.93%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.71 F CFA 983

0.58%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.84 F CFA 485

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.58 F CFA 333

32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.03 F CFA 593

64.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

75.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.73 F CFA 1,570

-61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.90 F CFA 517

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.02 F CFA 585

37.25%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.07 F CFA 1,765

-29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$17.47 F CFA 10.0K

-74.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$21.08 F CFA 12.1K

-72.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.37 F CFA 7,101

-30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.29 F CFA 2,465

-46.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.42 F CFA 815

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.01 F CFA 582

51.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.48 F CFA 1,425

-45.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.16 F CFA 1,242

-47.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.36 F CFA 780

-16.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.84 F CFA 484

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.35 F CFA 776

-32.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.71 F CFA 984

36.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.19 F CFA 3,551

99.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.30 F CFA 745

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.33 F CFA 1,336

6.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.20 F CFA 117

320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.51 F CFA 294

178.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.61 F CFA 923

19.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.46 F CFA 839

-32.19%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$37.3K F CFA 21.4M

-51.71%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$37.8K F CFA 21.7M

-29.47%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$127 F CFA 72.9K

-36.37%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$35.50 F CFA 20.4K

-71.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$50.7 F CFA 29.1K

-52.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$61.2 F CFA 35.2K

-59.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$8.60 F CFA 4,936

122.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.94 F CFA 5,134

-55.48%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$135 F CFA 77.2K

126.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$17.7K F CFA 10.2M

-65.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$449 F CFA 257.9K

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$277 F CFA 158.9K

35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,279 F CFA 734.6K

-33.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$765 F CFA 439.1K

-4.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$877 F CFA 503.8K

266.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$260 F CFA 149.5K

427.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$607 F CFA 348.7K

1.56%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ouagadougou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $449 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 2% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Ouagadougou. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $346 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,546 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 $24.00 in Ouagadougou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $135 in Ouagadougou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ouagadougou at $1,031. 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.