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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Yaounde is about 52% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-55.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

11.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-46.26%

Cappuccino

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

$2.91 COP 9,149

-29.90%

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

$1.53 FCFA 860

$1.94 COP 6,110

-21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 FCFA 304

$1.52 COP 4,783

-64.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 FCFA 701

$3.09 COP 9,721

-59.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 FCFA 990

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-69.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

$1.36 COP 4,287

179.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 FCFA 628

$2.39 COP 7,505

-53.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 FCFA 746

$1.70 COP 5,346

-22.35%

Eggs

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

$2.87 COP 9,021

-24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

$9.94 COP 31.2K

43.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-44.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-54.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

$4.09 COP 12.8K

28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

$1.57 COP 4,940

34.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

$2.13 COP 6,682

1.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 FCFA 828

$2.21 COP 6,959

-33.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 FCFA 953

$2.05 COP 6,435

-17.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 FCFA 810

$1.50 COP 4,728

-4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 FCFA 633

$1.19 COP 3,740

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 FCFA 385

$1.16 COP 3,640

-41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 976

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-55.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-37.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 801

$1.58 COP 4,978

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

$2.83 COP 8,889

-27.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 340

$1.17 COP 3,672

-48.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-76.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 FCFA 359

$1.28 COP 4,038

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 FCFA 242

$2.09 COP 6,576

-79.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-27.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 FCFA 832

$1.30 COP 4,080

13.85%

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

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

21.49%

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

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-37.24%

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

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

$176 COP 553.4K

-53.35%

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

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

34.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

77.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-45.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-57.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

$6.20 COP 19.5K

39.68%

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

$642 FCFA 361.9K

$793 COP 2.5M

-19.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-72.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-79.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-51.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

$136 COP 428.4K

-80.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

$103 COP 324.1K

-44.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 FCFA 82.6K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-86.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 FCFA 107.6K

$680 COP 2.1M

-71.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 FCFA 231.5K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-79.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 FCFA 122.3K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-81.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 FCFA 500.8K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-78.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$621 FCFA 349.9K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-63.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 FCFA 108.4K

$665 COP 2.1M

-71.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.83%

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

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $147 in Yaounde versus $1,060 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 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 $54.0 in Yaounde versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Yaounde vs $303 in Medellin – 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

Yaounde vs Medellin: 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 $1,243 per month in Yaounde and $2,574 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 $54.0 in Yaounde and $48.00 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 $829 in Yaounde and $1,716 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 $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.