Cost of Living Comparison Between Joinville and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Joinville and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $787 per month in Joinville vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,295 per month in Joinville vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Joinville vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Joinville is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Joinville and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Joinville 41% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 R$36.73

$5.92 COP 21.5K

24.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.27 R$181

$32.75 COP 119.1K

10.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.05

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-10.56%

Cappuccino

$1.41 R$7.01

$1.70 COP 6,186

-17.06%

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

$0.94 R$4.66

$1.10 COP 3,996

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.25

$0.72 COP 2,625

-9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 R$13.76

$1.67 COP 6,067

65.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.29

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 R$4.38

$1.06 COP 3,837

-16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 R$6.18

$1.25 COP 4,531

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 R$4.13

$1.39 COP 5,060

-40.29%

Eggs

$2.50 R$12.44

$2.26 COP 8,229

10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 R$35.11

$4.33 COP 15.8K

62.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 R$15.33

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-47.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 R$39.85

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.48

$2.24 COP 8,159

-41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.58

$1.08 COP 3,911

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.88

$1.53 COP 5,563

-22.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 R$6.86

$1.37 COP 4,987

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.78

$1.13 COP 4,109

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.38

$1.12 COP 4,067

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 R$5.08

$0.85 COP 3,080

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.52

$0.91 COP 3,305

-21.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R$14.18

$2.33 COP 8,477

22.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 R$47.48

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-14.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R$4.94

$1.19 COP 4,342

-16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R$14.96

$2.37 COP 8,617

26.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 R$5.06

$0.79 COP 2,859

29.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$249

$41.13 COP 149.6K

21.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 R$9.19

$1.44 COP 5,223

28.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.03

$1.91 COP 6,952

-47.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 R$42.71

$8.02 COP 29.2K

6.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.17

$0.94 COP 3,410

10.64%

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

$24.1K R$120.0K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

34.41%

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

$29.0K R$144.7K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

8.43%

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

$52.9 R$263

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-37.03%

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

$13.14 R$65.5

$9.60 COP 34.9K

36.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.43 R$102

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-15.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.81 R$114

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-11.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$109

$19.04 COP 69.3K

14.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 R$37.00

$3.92 COP 14.2K

89.54%

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

$274 R$1,365

$306 COP 1.1M

-10.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,583 R$27.8K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-5.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.27 R$225

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-21.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.3 R$365

$31.82 COP 115.7K

130.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 R$410

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 R$296

$107 COP 389.7K

-44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 R$1,384

$487 COP 1.8M

-42.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 R$1,030

$368 COP 1.3M

-43.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,807

$826 COP 3.0M

-31.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 R$2,040

$716 COP 2.6M

-42.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,919 R$9,557

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-34.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,283 R$6,389

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-8.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 R$3,397

$546 COP 2.0M

25.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.2

13.43

-24.05%

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

Last update for Joinville: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Joinville versus $487 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 25% higher in Joinville, 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 $36.00 in Joinville versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Joinville vs $190 in Medellin – so Joinville 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

Joinville vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 31% more than Joinville, 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 $1,181 per month in Joinville and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Joinville, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Joinville and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Joinville, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Joinville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Joinville costs $787 versus $1,034 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 Joinville. 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.