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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,228 per month in Ouagadougou vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Ouagadougou vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,823 per month in Ouagadougou vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Ouagadougou is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ouagadougou sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.41 F CFA 4,188

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-7.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.85 F CFA 15.2K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-44.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 F CFA 4,274

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-19.75%

Cappuccino

$2.11 F CFA 1,192

$2.94 COP 9,040

-28.23%

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

$1.13 F CFA 639

$1.86 COP 5,735

-39.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 F CFA 619

$1.46 COP 4,479

-24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 F CFA 693

$3.21 COP 9,882

-61.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 F CFA 1,462

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-54.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 F CFA 1,153

$1.44 COP 4,428

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 F CFA 639

$2.40 COP 7,389

-52.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 F CFA 494

$1.70 COP 5,228

-48.82%

Eggs

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

$2.89 COP 8,896

-9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.51 F CFA 9,894

$10.06 COP 30.9K

74.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.94 F CFA 11.8K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

110.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 F CFA 8,896

$14.20 COP 43.7K

10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 F CFA 2,759

$3.98 COP 12.3K

22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 F CFA 1,963

$2.15 COP 6,624

61.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,193

$2.30 COP 7,078

68.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 F CFA 899

$2.00 COP 6,169

-20.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,015

$1.51 COP 4,646

19.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 F CFA 772

$1.20 COP 3,701

14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 F CFA 780

$1.28 COP 3,946

7.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.39 F CFA 786

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-63.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 F CFA 3,519

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-55.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 F CFA 817

$1.71 COP 5,256

-15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

$2.74 COP 8,440

-4.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 F CFA 114

$1.25 COP 3,834

-84.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 F CFA 288

$1.31 COP 4,016

-61.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 F CFA 496

$2.17 COP 6,680

-59.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 F CFA 4,966

$8.29 COP 25.5K

6.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 F CFA 844

$1.36 COP 4,172

9.56%

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

$38.6K F CFA 21.8M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

40.67%

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

$32.2K F CFA 18.2M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-11.96%

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

$184 F CFA 103.9K

$169 COP 519.2K

9.01%

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

$26.98 F CFA 15.2K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

98.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 F CFA 31.2K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

94.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 F CFA 34.9K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

35.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 F CFA 4,907

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-49.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 F CFA 3,923

$6.65 COP 20.5K

4.36%

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

$36.13 F CFA 20.4K

$803 COP 2.5M

-95.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,178 F CFA 3.5M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-32.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.07 F CFA 19.8K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-59.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-9.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 F CFA 50.9K

$139 COP 427.5K

-35.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 F CFA 59.9K

$102 COP 314.0K

3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 F CFA 196.3K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-67.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 F CFA 134.2K

$653 COP 2.0M

-63.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 F CFA 790.2K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 F CFA 427.3K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-27.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 F CFA 501.1K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-78.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$261 F CFA 147.5K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-84.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 F CFA 345.7K

$655 COP 2.0M

-6.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.69%

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

Last update for Ouagadougou: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Ouagadougou versus $1,071 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 7% 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 $27.00 in Ouagadougou versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in Ouagadougou vs $300 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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,842 per month in Ouagadougou and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouagadougou, 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 $27.00 in Ouagadougou and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ouagadougou, where all-in costs run around $1,228, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Ouagadougou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ouagadougou – 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 Ouagadougou. 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.