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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $829 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,260 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,690 in Yaounde, rent included.

Medellin costs about 107% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Yaounde is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

122.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

-10.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

86.10%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

42.65%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.53 FCFA 860

26.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.54 FCFA 304

181.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.24 FCFA 701

149.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$1.76 FCFA 990

226.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

-64.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.11 FCFA 628

115.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.32 FCFA 746

28.79%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

32.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

-30.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

78.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

117.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

-22.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

-25.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

-1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.47 FCFA 828

50.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.69 FCFA 953

21.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.44 FCFA 810

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.12 FCFA 633

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.68 FCFA 385

70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.73 FCFA 976

125.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

61.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.42 FCFA 801

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

38.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.60 FCFA 340

95.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

333.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.64 FCFA 359

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.43 FCFA 242

386.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

38.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.48 FCFA 832

-12.16%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

-17.69%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

59.33%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

114.38%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

-25.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

-43.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

84.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

132.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

-28.41%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$642 FCFA 361.9K

23.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

265.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

390.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

107.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

406.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

78.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$147 FCFA 82.6K

622.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$191 FCFA 107.6K

255.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$411 FCFA 231.5K

389.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$217 FCFA 122.3K

438.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$888 FCFA 500.8K

362.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$621 FCFA 349.9K

174.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$192 FCFA 108.4K

245.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-15.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $147 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 246% 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 $54.0 in Yaounde. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $261 in Yaounde – so Yaounde 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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 107%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,243 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $54.0 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $829 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 $829, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.