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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $1,644 per month in Yaounde vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Yaounde is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Yaounde and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Yaounde 45% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-20.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

36.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-23.02%

Cappuccino

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

$1.72 COP 5,599

58.72%

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

$1.43 FCFA 819

$1.05 COP 3,420

36.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FCFA 379

$0.77 COP 2,515

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 FCFA 664

$1.69 COP 5,487

-31.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-44.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

$1.05 COP 3,423

172.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 FCFA 583

$1.30 COP 4,236

-21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 635

$1.40 COP 4,544

-20.71%

Eggs

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

$2.16 COP 7,046

-17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

$4.39 COP 14.3K

222.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

$5.88 COP 19.1K

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-31.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

$2.28 COP 7,425

102.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

$1.11 COP 3,603

87.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

$1.53 COP 4,982

34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 FCFA 711

$1.35 COP 4,410

-8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 FCFA 958

$1.13 COP 3,674

47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 FCFA 832

$1.13 COP 3,692

28.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 328

$0.85 COP 2,753

-32.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 FCFA 578

$0.91 COP 2,975

10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 FCFA 987

$2.34 COP 7,629

-26.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 FCFA 734

$1.20 COP 3,909

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 FCFA 891

$2.49 COP 8,104

-37.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 FCFA 349

$0.84 COP 2,727

-27.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-57.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 FCFA 346

$1.42 COP 4,623

-57.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 FCFA 240

$1.92 COP 6,235

-78.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-24.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 FCFA 772

$0.99 COP 3,223

35.35%

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

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

86.46%

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

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-41.36%

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

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-2.77%

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

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

112.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

96.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

5.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-62.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

$3.98 COP 13.0K

67.34%

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

$335 FCFA 192.4K

$305 COP 993.4K

9.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-69.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-71.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

$101 COP 327.9K

-80.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

$108 COP 350.8K

-46.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 FCFA 85.4K

$477 COP 1.6M

-68.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 FCFA 69.4K

$376 COP 1.2M

-67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 FCFA 285.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

-41.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 FCFA 144.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

-65.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 FCFA 497.3K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-73.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 FCFA 352.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-55.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 FCFA 105.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

-70.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Yaounde 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 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 $45.00 in Yaounde versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $193 – 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

Yaounde vs Medellin: 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 $1,104 per month in Yaounde 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 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 $45.00 in Yaounde and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $736 in Yaounde and $1,031 in Medellin. 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.