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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $725 per month in Yaounde vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,195 per month in Yaounde vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,665 per month in Yaounde vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Yaounde is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Yaounde and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Yaounde 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 FCFA 2,747

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-18.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.99 FCFA 24.8K

$32.86 COP 116.9K

33.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 FCFA 3,272

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-18.19%

Cappuccino

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

$1.71 COP 6,093

51.46%

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

$1.48 FCFA 834

$1.10 COP 3,910

34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 FCFA 391

$0.78 COP 2,771

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 661

$1.68 COP 5,976

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 FCFA 970

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-43.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 FCFA 1,600

$1.09 COP 3,892

159.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 FCFA 558

$1.26 COP 4,492

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 FCFA 624

$1.38 COP 4,905

-19.57%

Eggs

$1.83 FCFA 1,034

$2.19 COP 7,799

-16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 FCFA 7,881

$4.40 COP 15.7K

217.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 FCFA 3,567

$5.63 COP 20.0K

12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 FCFA 3,374

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-32.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 FCFA 2,615

$2.34 COP 8,319

97.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,182

$1.06 COP 3,764

98.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 FCFA 1,162

$1.50 COP 5,355

37.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 FCFA 672

$1.38 COP 4,906

-13.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 FCFA 906

$1.15 COP 4,097

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 FCFA 822

$1.16 COP 4,141

25.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 FCFA 324

$0.89 COP 3,170

-35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 FCFA 562

$0.84 COP 2,986

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 FCFA 978

$2.28 COP 8,116

-24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 FCFA 4,954

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-17.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 695

$1.20 COP 4,268

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 FCFA 906

$2.47 COP 8,793

-35.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 FCFA 337

$0.86 COP 3,045

-30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 FCFA 10.0K

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-57.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 FCFA 365

$1.47 COP 5,245

-55.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 FCFA 215

$1.96 COP 6,984

-80.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 FCFA 3,158

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-27.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 FCFA 761

$0.95 COP 3,397

42.11%

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

$33.1K FCFA 18.7M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

82.74%

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

$16.2K FCFA 9.1M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-38.99%

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

$79.3 FCFA 44.8K

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-3.55%

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

$21.48 FCFA 12.1K

$9.50 COP 33.8K

126.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.79 FCFA 26.4K

$24.23 COP 86.2K

93.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.01 FCFA 14.7K

$25.89 COP 92.1K

0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 FCFA 4,095

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-61.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 FCFA 3,692

$3.93 COP 14.0K

66.41%

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

$346 FCFA 195.2K

$309 COP 1.1M

11.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-69.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.69 FCFA 9,419

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-71.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.83 FCFA 13.5K

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-26.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.67 FCFA 11.1K

$103 COP 365.1K

-80.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 FCFA 32.9K

$108 COP 385.8K

-46.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 FCFA 86.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

-67.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 FCFA 66.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

-68.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 FCFA 283.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

-40.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 FCFA 144.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-64.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$887 FCFA 500.5K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-68.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 FCFA 353.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-48.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 FCFA 106.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

-63.04%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $153 in Yaounde 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 171% 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 $44.00 in Yaounde versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $188 – 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 $1,088 per month in Yaounde 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 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 $44.00 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 $725 in Yaounde and $1,013 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 $725, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.