Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jos and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Jos: $534 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jos, Nigeria
Medellin, Colombia
Jos
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$534
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jos 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 Jos and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $534 per month in Jos vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Jos $534
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Jos vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Jos $1,097
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Jos vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Jos $1,661
  • Medellin $3,186

Jos is about 67% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Jos sits 61% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jos
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.04 ₦2,729
$8.09 COP 25.4K
-74.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.16 ₦40.4K
$47.05 COP 148.0K
-35.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.97 ₦5,325
$9.50 COP 29.9K
-58.21%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₦4,357
$3.01 COP 9,485
7.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₦571
$1.80 COP 5,660
-76.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₦896
$1.41 COP 4,443
-52.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.02 ₦1,366
$3.18 COP 9,990
-67.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 ₦2,658
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-65.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jos
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.70 ₦4,958
$1.51 COP 4,751
145.03%
White Bread (500g)
$0.87 ₦1,171
$2.38 COP 7,480
-63.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₦2,931
$1.77 COP 5,573
23.73%
Eggs
$1.79 ₦2,397
$2.89 COP 9,093
-38.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.95 ₦13.3K
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-2.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.02 ₦6,728
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-49.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.02 ₦5,384
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-71.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₦2,674
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-49.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 ₦1,940
$1.55 COP 4,883
-6.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 ₦2,025
$2.18 COP 6,867
-30.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 ₦3,046
$2.18 COP 6,870
4.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 ₦2,390
$1.96 COP 6,174
-9.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.41 ₦3,229
$1.59 COP 5,000
51.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 ₦785
$1.15 COP 3,604
-48.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₦534
$1.24 COP 3,911
-67.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 ₦2,619
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-50.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.93 ₦7,949
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-56.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 ₦1,605
$1.66 COP 5,221
-27.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ₦2,371
$2.26 COP 7,103
-21.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Jos
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.17 COP 3,674
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.58 ₦780
$1.27 COP 3,989
-54.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 ₦1,166
$2.05 COP 6,442
-57.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.83 ₦2,453
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-78.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.54 ₦723
$1.35 COP 4,237
-60.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.7K ₦34.4M
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-24.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K ₦48.6M
$34.7K COP 109.1M
4.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jos
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$100 ₦134.5K
$170 COP 533.7K
-40.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.50 ₦8,712
$13.55 COP 42.6K
-52.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.97 ₦38.8K
$28.07 COP 88.3K
3.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jos
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.52 ₦53.0K
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-9.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.03 ₦16.1K
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-30.02%
Cinema Ticket
$6.22 ₦8,331
$6.91 COP 21.7K
-9.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jos
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$44.67 ₦59.9K
$797 COP 2.5M
-94.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,001 ₦1.3M
$9,112 COP 28.7M
-89.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jos
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.09 ₦13.5K
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-88.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.98 ₦20.1K
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-74.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.0 ₦68.3K
$135 COP 424.6K
-62.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.1 ₦67.1K
$97.9 COP 307.9K
-48.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jos
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$642 COP 2.0M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$554 ₦743.1K
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-72.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$483 ₦646.7K
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-52.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,030 ₦2.7M
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-51.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,485 ₦2.0M
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-22.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jos
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$102 ₦136.4K
$657 COP 2.1M
-84.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.5
10.94
105.67%

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

Last update for Jos: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Jos
$203
Medellin
$297 46% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jos
$136
Medellin
$211 55.5% $75
Eating Out
Jos
$81
Medellin
$170 110% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Jos
$57
Medellin
$169 198% $112
Sport & Entertainment
Jos
$52
Medellin
$58 10.7% $5.6
Getting Around
Jos
$4.9 *
Medellin
$94 1798% $89
Accommodation & Living
Jos
- *
Medellin
$642

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Medellin are about 6.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Jos versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $297 – making Jos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Jos
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
02:55 2:55 AM
20:55 8:55 PM
6 h behind Jos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
900,000
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jos Medellin 9,290 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Jos
  • 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
Jos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Jos and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $534 in Jos, $1,639 in Medellin – Jos comes out roughly 67% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Jos compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $800 per month in Jos and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Jos and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 46% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $534, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Jos and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $534 in Jos to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Jos and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Jos. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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