Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yaounde Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yaounde

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $725 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,195 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,665 in Yaounde, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Yaounde 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$4.87 FCFA 2,769

23.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$43.99 FCFA 25.0K

-25.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$5.80 FCFA 3,298

22.24%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$2.59 FCFA 1,474

-33.98%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$1.48 FCFA 840

-25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.69 FCFA 394

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$1.17 FCFA 667

43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.72 FCFA 978

78.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$2.83 FCFA 1,612

-61.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$0.99 FCFA 563

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.11 FCFA 629

24.32%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.83 FCFA 1,042

19.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$13.96 FCFA 7,944

-68.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$6.32 FCFA 3,596

-10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$5.98 FCFA 3,401

48.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$4.63 FCFA 2,636

-49.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$2.10 FCFA 1,192

-49.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$2.06 FCFA 1,171

-27.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$1.19 FCFA 677

15.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$1.61 FCFA 913

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$1.46 FCFA 829

-20.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.57 FCFA 327

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$1.00 FCFA 567

-16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$1.73 FCFA 986

31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$8.78 FCFA 4,994

21.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$1.23 FCFA 700

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$1.60 FCFA 913

54.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.60 FCFA 339

43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$17.76 FCFA 10.1K

133.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$0.65 FCFA 368

126.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.38 FCFA 217

415.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$5.60 FCFA 3,184

38.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.35 FCFA 767

-29.63%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$33.1K FCFA 18.8M

-45.28%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$16.2K FCFA 9.2M

63.89%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$79.3 FCFA 45.1K

3.68%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$21.48 FCFA 12.2K

-55.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$46.79 FCFA 26.6K

-48.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$26.01 FCFA 14.8K

-0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$7.26 FCFA 4,128

161.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$6.54 FCFA 3,722

-39.91%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$346 FCFA 196.8K

-10.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

225.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$16.69 FCFA 9,495

251.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$23.83 FCFA 13.6K

35.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$19.67 FCFA 11.2K

421.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$58.2 FCFA 33.1K

86.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$153 FCFA 86.9K

211.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$118 FCFA 67.1K

221.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$503 FCFA 286.0K

66.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$256 FCFA 145.8K

182.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$887 FCFA 504.5K

214.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$626 FCFA 356.2K

93.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$189 FCFA 107.6K

170.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $153 in Yaounde. 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 171% 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 $44.00 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $240 – 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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,088 in Yaounde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yaounde, 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 $44.00 in Yaounde. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $725 in Yaounde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yaounde – 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 Yaounde. 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.