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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $736 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,190 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,644 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 23% lower, Yaounde 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

25.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

-26.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

29.91%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

-37.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.43 FCFA 819

-26.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.66 FCFA 379

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.16 FCFA 664

45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

81.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

-63.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.02 FCFA 583

27.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.11 FCFA 635

26.13%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

-68.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

-3.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

46.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

-50.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

-46.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

-25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.24 FCFA 711

8.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.67 FCFA 958

-32.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.45 FCFA 832

-22.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.57 FCFA 328

49.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.01 FCFA 578

-9.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.72 FCFA 987

36.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

43.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.28 FCFA 734

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.55 FCFA 891

60.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.61 FCFA 349

37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

133.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.60 FCFA 346

136.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.42 FCFA 240

357.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

32.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.34 FCFA 772

-26.12%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

-46.37%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

70.54%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

2.85%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

-52.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

-49.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

-5.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

165.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

-40.24%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$335 FCFA 192.4K

-8.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

231.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

256.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

416.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

85.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$149 FCFA 85.4K

220.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$121 FCFA 69.4K

211.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$498 FCFA 285.7K

69.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$252 FCFA 144.5K

190.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$866 FCFA 497.3K

271.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$614 FCFA 352.5K

123.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$184 FCFA 105.9K

234.44%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $149 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 234% 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 $45.00 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,104 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 $45.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $736 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 $736, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.