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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 F CFA 3,102

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.98 F CFA 13.8K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-26.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.06 F CFA 4,625

$7.34 COP 23.9K

9.81%

Cappuccino

$1.71 F CFA 983

$1.72 COP 5,599

-0.58%

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

$0.84 F CFA 485

$1.05 COP 3,420

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 F CFA 333

$0.77 COP 2,515

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 F CFA 593

$1.69 COP 5,487

-39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-42.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 F CFA 1,570

$1.05 COP 3,423

160.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 F CFA 517

$1.30 COP 4,236

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 585

$1.40 COP 4,544

-27.14%

Eggs

$3.07 F CFA 1,765

$2.16 COP 7,046

42.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 F CFA 10.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

297.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.08 F CFA 12.1K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

258.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 F CFA 7,101

$8.64 COP 28.1K

43.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 F CFA 2,465

$2.28 COP 7,425

88.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 F CFA 815

$1.11 COP 3,603

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 F CFA 582

$1.53 COP 4,982

-33.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 F CFA 1,425

$1.35 COP 4,410

83.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,242

$1.13 COP 3,674

91.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 F CFA 780

$1.13 COP 3,692

20.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 F CFA 484

$0.85 COP 2,753

-1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 F CFA 776

$0.91 COP 2,975

48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 F CFA 984

$2.34 COP 7,629

-26.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 F CFA 3,551

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-49.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 F CFA 745

$1.20 COP 3,909

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 F CFA 1,336

$2.49 COP 8,104

-6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 F CFA 117

$0.84 COP 2,727

-76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 F CFA 294

$1.42 COP 4,623

-64.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 F CFA 923

$1.92 COP 6,235

-16.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 F CFA 839

$0.99 COP 3,223

47.47%

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

$37.3K F CFA 21.4M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

107.10%

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

$37.8K F CFA 21.7M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

41.78%

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

$127 F CFA 72.9K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

57.16%

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

$35.50 F CFA 20.4K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

256.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 F CFA 29.1K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

109.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 F CFA 35.2K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

144.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 F CFA 4,936

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-55.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 F CFA 5,134

$3.98 COP 13.0K

124.62%

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

$135 F CFA 77.2K

$305 COP 993.4K

-55.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K F CFA 10.2M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

192.33%

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)

$449 F CFA 257.9K

$477 COP 1.6M

-5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 F CFA 158.9K

$376 COP 1.2M

-26.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 F CFA 734.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

51.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 F CFA 439.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

4.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 F CFA 503.8K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-72.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$260 F CFA 149.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-81.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$607 F CFA 348.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-1.54%

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 Ouagadougou: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Ouagadougou versus $477 in Medellin. 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 $24.00 in Ouagadougou versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in Ouagadougou vs $193 in Medellin – 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

Ouagadougou vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Ouagadougou and $1,546 in Medellin. 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 $24.00 in Ouagadougou and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Ouagadougou and $305 in Medellin. 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.