Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Johannesburg is about 16% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Johannesburg and Medellin sit above the global median – Johannesburg by 4%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$8.03 COP 25.2K

57.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-4.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-23.13%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$2.91 COP 9,149

-14.43%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$1.94 COP 6,110

-35.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$1.52 COP 4,783

-38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$3.09 COP 9,721

-33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-51.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.36 COP 4,287

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$2.39 COP 7,505

-46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.70 COP 5,346

7.65%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$2.87 COP 9,021

-6.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-6.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-44.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-37.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-44.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$1.57 COP 4,940

24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$2.13 COP 6,682

-14.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$2.21 COP 6,959

-3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$2.05 COP 6,435

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$1.50 COP 4,728

24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$1.19 COP 3,740

26.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$1.16 COP 3,640

15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-12.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-58.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$1.58 COP 4,978

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$2.83 COP 8,889

-13.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.17 COP 3,672

82.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

$77.7 COP 244.3K

20.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$1.28 COP 4,038

-29.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$2.09 COP 6,576

-55.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$8.62 COP 27.1K

75.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$1.30 COP 4,080

18.46%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

31.49%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-7.45%

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

$222 R 3,552

$176 COP 553.4K

26.14%

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

$38.73 R 619

$13.37 COP 42.0K

189.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$29.89 COP 94.0K

32.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

$17.06 COP 53.6K

2.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$6.20 COP 19.5K

28.87%

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

$248 R 3,964

$793 COP 2.5M

-68.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-36.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-30.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-17.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$136 COP 428.4K

-19.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$103 COP 324.1K

6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$680 COP 2.1M

-34.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-44.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-19.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-75.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-54.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$665 COP 2.1M

168.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

10.94

-0.27%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg 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 169% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $303 – making Johannesburg 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

Johannesburg vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 20% more than Johannesburg, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,152 per month in Johannesburg 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 Johannesburg, 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 $46.00 in Johannesburg 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 $1,435 in Johannesburg and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,435, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,435 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Johannesburg. 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.