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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $788 per month in Joinville vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,285 per month in Joinville vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Joinville vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Joinville is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Joinville and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Joinville 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.57

$5.95 COP 20.8K

18.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.94 R$182

$33.33 COP 116.3K

7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 R$32.11

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-12.31%

Cappuccino

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.63 COP 5,687

-10.43%

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

$1.01 R$5.11

$1.09 COP 3,821

-7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

$0.73 COP 2,548

-8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R$13.31

$1.74 COP 6,065

51.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.52

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 R$4.13

$1.05 COP 3,662

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 R$6.39

$1.29 COP 4,515

-2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.80

$1.32 COP 4,617

-43.18%

Eggs

$2.38 R$12.04

$2.27 COP 7,927

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 R$35.90

$4.35 COP 15.2K

62.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 R$15.42

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-48.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 R$39.39

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.93

$2.25 COP 7,844

-39.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.65

$1.07 COP 3,733

4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.01

$1.52 COP 5,322

-21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.90

$1.42 COP 4,964

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$1.17 COP 4,084

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.42

$1.17 COP 4,077

-25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.89 COP 3,096

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.51

$0.90 COP 3,146

-23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 R$13.94

$2.25 COP 7,837

22.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 R$46.81

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-16.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.06

$1.14 COP 3,977

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 R$14.50

$2.38 COP 8,301

20.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.77

$0.84 COP 2,916

11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.49 R$251

$41.95 COP 146.4K

17.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 R$9.27

$1.41 COP 4,912

29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.09

$1.90 COP 6,634

-46.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 R$44.50

$7.75 COP 27.0K

13.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.42

$1.01 COP 3,509

5.94%

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

$24.3K R$123.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

38.39%

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

$28.6K R$144.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

7.99%

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

$54.4 R$275

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-35.05%

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

$13.10 R$66.3

$9.45 COP 33.0K

38.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.42 R$103

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-15.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.65 R$115

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-10.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$111

$19.14 COP 66.8K

14.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 R$38.02

$4.10 COP 14.3K

83.17%

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

$275 R$1,390

$312 COP 1.1M

-12.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,672 R$28.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-5.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.37 R$230

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-21.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.4 R$372

$32.56 COP 113.6K

125.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 R$409

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-18.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 R$308

$109 COP 378.8K

-43.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 R$1,410

$482 COP 1.7M

-42.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 R$1,053

$379 COP 1.3M

-45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 R$2,874

$837 COP 2.9M

-32.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,088

$723 COP 2.5M

-42.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 R$9,703

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-32.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,240 R$6,278

$1,223 COP 4.3M

1.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$674 R$3,413

$541 COP 1.9M

24.66%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Joinville versus $482 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 – $165 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 29% 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 $1,182 per month in Joinville and $1,525 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 15% 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 $788, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $788 versus $1,017 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.