Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeffreys Bay and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeffreys Bay: $1,035 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jeffreys Bay, South Africa
Medellin, Colombia
Jeffreys Bay
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,035
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jeffreys Bay and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jeffreys Bay and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,035 in Jeffreys Bay versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Jeffreys Bay $1,035
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,605 in Jeffreys Bay versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Jeffreys Bay $1,605
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Jeffreys Bay versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Jeffreys Bay $2,176
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Jeffreys Bay costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeffreys Bay is 24% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.76 R 129
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-4.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.32 R 455
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-41.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.96 R 99.2
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-37.26%
Cappuccino
$1.82 R 30.22
$3.01 COP 9,734
-39.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 R 12.91
$1.80 COP 5,809
-56.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 R 10.77
$1.41 COP 4,560
-53.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 R 33.65
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-36.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 R 32.40
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-66.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 R 19.85
$1.51 COP 4,875
-21.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.02 R 16.89
$2.38 COP 7,677
-57.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 R 24.57
$1.77 COP 5,719
-16.38%
Eggs
$2.75 R 45.77
$2.89 COP 9,332
-4.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.40 R 107
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-37.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.86 R 80.9
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-50.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.40 R 123
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-47.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 R 33.46
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-49.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 R 25.03
$1.55 COP 5,011
-3.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 R 28.38
$2.18 COP 7,047
-21.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.73 R 28.75
$2.18 COP 7,050
-20.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 R 28.98
$1.96 COP 6,336
-11.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 R 20.67
$1.59 COP 5,131
-22.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 R 19.69
$1.15 COP 3,698
2.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 R 17.20
$1.24 COP 4,014
-16.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.17 R 52.8
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-19.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.84 R 63.9
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-71.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 R 20.55
$1.66 COP 5,359
-25.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 R 29.16
$2.26 COP 7,290
-22.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.54 R 25.62
$1.17 COP 3,770
31.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.64 R 10.57
$1.27 COP 4,094
-49.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.51 R 8.50
$2.05 COP 6,611
-75.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.30 R 138
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-2.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 R 22.82
$1.35 COP 4,348
1.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K R 347.8K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-38.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.6K R 292.1K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-49.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$126 R 2,094
$170 COP 547.7K
-25.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.35 R 571
$13.55 COP 43.7K
153.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.62 R 759
$28.07 COP 90.6K
62.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.92 R 531
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-26.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.03 R 100
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-64.92%
Cinema Ticket
$3.13 R 52.0
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-54.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$138 R 2,304
$797 COP 2.6M
-82.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,108 R 101.6K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-32.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.8 R 1,195
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-15.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.68 R 627
$58.0 COP 187.1K
-34.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 R 1,876
$135 COP 435.7K
-16.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.7 R 1,626
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-0.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$390 R 6,485
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-67.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$335 R 5,566
$642 COP 2.1M
-47.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$747 R 12.4K
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-63.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$705 R 11.7K
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-30.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$884 R 14.7K
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-78.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$696 R 11.6K
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-63.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jeffreys Bay
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.94
10.94
9.14%

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

Last update for Jeffreys Bay: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Jeffreys Bay
$335
Medellin
$642 91.8% $307
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jeffreys Bay
$206
Medellin
$211 2.6% $5.4
Groceries & Markets
Jeffreys Bay
$181
Medellin
$297 63.6% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Jeffreys Bay
$144
Medellin
$169 17.4% $25
Eating Out
Jeffreys Bay
$122
Medellin
$170 39.6% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Jeffreys Bay
$38
Medellin
$58 50.7% $19
Getting Around
Jeffreys Bay
$9.4 *
Medellin
$94 901% $84

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Jeffreys Bay and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27 in Jeffreys Bay vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $297 per month, with Jeffreys Bay cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Jeffreys Bay
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
07:54 7:54 AM
00:54 12:54 AM
7 h behind Jeffreys Bay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
27,107
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 16.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.01 USD). 1 EUR = 18.65 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.36 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,619 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jeffreys Bay Medellin 11,370 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Jeffreys Bay
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Jeffreys Bay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeffreys Bay cheaper than Medellin?
Jeffreys Bay is about 37% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,552 in Jeffreys Bay and $2,459 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Jeffreys Bay and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $390 in Jeffreys Bay versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Jeffreys Bay and in Medellin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Jeffreys Bay and in Medellin?
All in, you’ll spend $1,035 per month in Jeffreys Bay versus $1,639 in Medellin – Jeffreys Bay is about 37% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Jeffreys Bay or in Medellin?
At $1,035 in Jeffreys Bay versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jeffreys Bay but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jeffreys Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Jeffreys Bay or in Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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