Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Juba and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Juba: $233 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Juba, South Sudan
Medellin, Colombia
Juba
🇸🇸 South Sudan
$233
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $233 per month in Juba vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Juba $233
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $362 per month in Juba vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Juba $362
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $492 per month in Juba vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Juba $492
  • Medellin $3,186

Juba is about 86% cheaper than Medellin.

Juba sits 83% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Juba
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.73 SSP 113.5K
$8.09 COP 25.4K
143.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$47.05 COP 148.0K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 SSP 53.1K
$9.50 COP 29.9K
-2.74%
Cappuccino
$3.42 SSP 19.7K
$3.01 COP 9,485
13.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 SSP 8,547
$1.80 COP 5,660
-17.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.41 COP 4,443
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.18 COP 9,990
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Juba
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.51 COP 4,751
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.38 COP 7,480
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.77 COP 5,573
-
Eggs
-
$2.89 COP 9,093
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.55 COP 4,883
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.18 COP 6,867
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.18 COP 6,870
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.96 COP 6,174
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.59 COP 5,000
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.15 COP 3,604
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.24 COP 3,911
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.66 COP 5,221
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 COP 7,103
-
🚌 Getting Around
Juba
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)
-
$1.27 COP 3,989
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.05 COP 6,442
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.35 COP 4,237
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Juba
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$170 COP 533.7K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.55 COP 42.6K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Juba
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.91 COP 21.7K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Juba
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$797 COP 2.5M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,112 COP 28.7M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Juba
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$135 COP 424.6K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$97.9 COP 307.9K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Juba
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)
-
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Juba
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,743 SSP 10.0M
$657 COP 2.1M
165.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12
10.94
9.69%

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

Last update for Juba: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Juba
–
Medellin
$642
Groceries & Markets
Juba
–
Medellin
$297
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Juba
–
Medellin
$211
Eating Out
Juba
–
Medellin
$170
Clothing & Footwear
Juba
–
Medellin
$169
Getting Around
Juba
–
Medellin
$94
Sport & Entertainment
Juba
–
Medellin
$58

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Juba are about 2.7 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know
🇸🇸 Juba
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
22:33 10:33 PM
15:33 3:33 PM
7 h behind Juba
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
372,410 Capital
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to SSP – South Sudanese Pound Converter

South Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5,751 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.74 USD). 1 EUR = 6,402 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.56 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 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
  • Juba Medellin 11,840 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Juba
  • 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
Juba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is cheaper: Juba or Medellin?
Medellin costs about 605% more than Juba, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $349 per month in Juba and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Juba or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Juba, where all-in costs run around $233, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Juba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Juba or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $233 in Juba to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Juba vs other spots: cost of living compared

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