Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,002 per month in Jos vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,365 per month in Jos vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Jos vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Jos is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jos and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jos 25% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.29 ₦1,761

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-78.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.85 ₦18.9K

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-57.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₦6,420

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-34.72%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₦3,178

$1.70 COP 6,186

37.06%

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

$0.34 ₦471

$1.10 COP 3,996

-69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦342

$0.72 COP 2,625

-65.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 ₦941

$1.67 COP 6,067

-58.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$3.65 ₦4,989

$1.06 COP 3,837

244.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₦1,300

$1.25 COP 4,531

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 ₦4,491

$1.39 COP 5,060

136.69%

Eggs

$2.95 ₦4,029

$2.26 COP 8,229

30.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ₦13.5K

$4.33 COP 15.8K

128.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₦6,985

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 ₦6,265

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-48.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 ₦5,608

$2.24 COP 8,159

83.48%

Banana (1kg)

$4.89 ₦6,679

$1.08 COP 3,911

352.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₦3,718

$1.53 COP 5,563

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 ₦5,498

$1.37 COP 4,987

194.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₦3,118

$1.13 COP 4,109

101.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₦2,698

$1.12 COP 4,067

76.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₦870

$0.85 COP 3,080

-24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦974

$0.91 COP 3,305

-21.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$3.98 ₦5,442

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-64.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₦1,004

$1.19 COP 4,342

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ₦1,382

$1.44 COP 5,223

-29.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.14 ₦13.8K

$8.02 COP 29.2K

26.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₦1,312

$0.94 COP 3,410

2.13%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

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

$98.7 ₦134.8K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

17.56%

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

$9.98 ₦13.6K

$9.60 COP 34.9K

3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.33 ₦53.7K

$25.88 COP 94.1K

51.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 ₦16.6K

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-36.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 ₦12.0K

$3.92 COP 14.2K

123.72%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$990 ₦1.4M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-83.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.01 ₦13.7K

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-82.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.95 ₦20.4K

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-53.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₦68.5K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-49.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.78 ₦68.0K

$107 COP 389.7K

-53.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₦951.3K

$487 COP 1.8M

43.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₦649.3K

$368 COP 1.3M

29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 ₦1.2M

$826 COP 3.0M

5.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 ₦822.9K

$716 COP 2.6M

-15.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,960 ₦2.7M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-32.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,521 ₦2.1M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

8.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$108 ₦148.1K

$546 COP 2.0M

-80.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Jos: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Jos 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 403% 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 $14.00 in Jos versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Jos vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Jos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,002 in Jos, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 3% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Jos 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 Jos, 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 $14.00 in Jos 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 $1,002 in Jos and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $1,002, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,002 in Jos to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Jos. 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.