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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,025 per month in Jos vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Jos vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,792 per month in Jos vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Jos costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.31 ₦1,789

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-77.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.82 ₦18.8K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-58.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 ₦6,209

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-38.63%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₦3,218

$1.65 COP 5,276

43.03%

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

$0.34 ₦469

$1.10 COP 3,514

-69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦343

$0.78 COP 2,491

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 ₦934

$1.72 COP 5,484

-59.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$3.61 ₦4,920

$1.10 COP 3,521

228.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₦1,213

$1.26 COP 4,015

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 ₦4,658

$1.38 COP 4,407

147.83%

Eggs

$2.92 ₦3,978

$2.18 COP 6,950

33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₦13.7K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

124.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ₦6,782

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-13.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 ₦6,016

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-50.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 ₦5,609

$2.32 COP 7,405

77.16%

Banana (1kg)

$4.97 ₦6,774

$1.06 COP 3,397

368.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 ₦3,736

$1.52 COP 4,838

80.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₦5,381

$1.36 COP 4,327

190.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₦3,139

$1.13 COP 3,599

103.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ₦2,686

$1.17 COP 3,738

68.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₦874

$0.90 COP 2,876

-28.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₦1,056

$0.90 COP 2,861

-14.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 ₦7,881

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₦1,015

$1.19 COP 3,793

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 ₦1,330

$1.42 COP 4,518

-30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.88 ₦13.5K

$7.89 COP 25.2K

25.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₦1,197

$0.99 COP 3,160

-11.11%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$100 ₦136.9K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

20.97%

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

$9.95 ₦13.6K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ₦54.7K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

58.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.12 ₦16.5K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-36.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.23 ₦12.6K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

133.67%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$985 ₦1.3M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-83.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.94 ₦13.5K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-83.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.79 ₦20.2K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-53.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 ₦69.3K

$102 COP 324.4K

-49.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 ₦68.9K

$107 COP 342.8K

-52.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 ₦949.0K

$475 COP 1.5M

46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 ₦642.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

26.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 ₦1.2M

$849 COP 2.7M

0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ₦826.6K

$719 COP 2.3M

-15.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 ₦2.8M

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-37.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,478 ₦2.0M

$1,441 COP 4.6M

2.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$68.2 ₦92.9K

$624 COP 2.0M

-89.08%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Jos versus $475 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 816% higher in Medellin, 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 $14.00 in Jos versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Jos vs $193 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: $1,025 in Jos, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 2% apart. Jos costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,538 per month in Jos and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,025 in Jos and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Jos at $1,025. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jos 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,025 in Jos. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.