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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Ouagadougou vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Ouagadougou vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,307 per month in Ouagadougou vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ouagadougou costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ouagadougou and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ouagadougou 23% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 F CFA 2,925

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-13.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.37 F CFA 13.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 F CFA 4,435

$7.09 COP 25.3K

10.86%

Cappuccino

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

$1.71 COP 6,115

5.26%

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

$0.78 F CFA 443

$1.10 COP 3,924

-29.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 F CFA 328

$0.78 COP 2,781

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 F CFA 607

$1.68 COP 5,997

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-41.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 F CFA 1,575

$1.09 COP 3,906

155.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 F CFA 550

$1.26 COP 4,508

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 F CFA 578

$1.38 COP 4,922

-25.36%

Eggs

$3.04 F CFA 1,713

$2.19 COP 7,827

38.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.65 F CFA 9,954

$4.40 COP 15.7K

301.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.28 F CFA 12.0K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

277.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 F CFA 7,143

$8.89 COP 31.8K

42.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 F CFA 2,526

$2.34 COP 8,349

91.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 756

$1.06 COP 3,777

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 574

$1.50 COP 5,374

-32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 F CFA 1,359

$1.38 COP 4,924

74.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 F CFA 1,276

$1.15 COP 4,111

96.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 F CFA 742

$1.16 COP 4,155

13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 F CFA 475

$0.89 COP 3,182

-5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 F CFA 737

$0.84 COP 2,997

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 F CFA 978

$2.28 COP 8,145

-24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 F CFA 3,489

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 695

$1.20 COP 4,284

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 F CFA 1,315

$2.47 COP 8,824

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 F CFA 90.8

$0.86 COP 3,056

-81.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 F CFA 311

$1.47 COP 5,264

-62.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 F CFA 879

$1.96 COP 7,009

-20.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 F CFA 832

$0.95 COP 3,409

54.74%

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

$37.9K F CFA 21.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

108.84%

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

$36.7K F CFA 20.7M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

38.50%

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

$126 F CFA 71.3K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

53.68%

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

$35.94 F CFA 20.3K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

278.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.09 F CFA 27.7K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

102.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 F CFA 34.8K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

138.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 F CFA 5,014

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-53.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 F CFA 5,123

$3.93 COP 14.0K

131.04%

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

$131 F CFA 73.8K

$309 COP 1.1M

-57.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K F CFA 9.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

194.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 F CFA 244.3K

$476 COP 1.7M

-9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 F CFA 154.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 F CFA 716.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

51.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 F CFA 431.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

5.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$889 F CFA 501.4K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-68.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$266 F CFA 150.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-78.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 F CFA 350.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

21.53%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Ouagadougou versus $476 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 22% higher in Ouagadougou, 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 $23.00 in Ouagadougou versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Ouagadougou vs $188 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 – Ouagadougou is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Ouagadougou and $1,519 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 $23.00 in Ouagadougou and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Ouagadougou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Ouagadougou at $1,029. 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.