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Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Johannesburg

🙂 Solo nomad: Medellin is 19% cheaper than Johannesburg without rent, and 9.5% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Medellin is 18.4% cheaper than Johannesburg without rent, and 9% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.95 COP 22.3K
$11.23 R 192
-47.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.1 COP 124K
$44.06 R 754
-24.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 COP 27.8K
$4.83 R 82.6
53.62%
Cappuccino
$1.69 COP 6,341
$2.17 R 37.19
-22.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 COP 3,986
$0.99 R 16.94
7.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 COP 2,684
$0.8 R 13.7
-10.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.66 COP 6,204
$2.71 R 46.45
-38.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 COP 11.9K
$2.46 R 42.12
29.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.1 COP 4,130
$1.14 R 19.58
-3.51%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 COP 4,833
$1.1 R 18.79
17.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.4 COP 5,229
$1.71 R 29.32
-18.13%
Eggs
$2.25 COP 8,408
$2.54 R 43.44
-11.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.46 COP 16.7K
$8.32 R 142
-46.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.68 COP 21.3K
$4.84 R 82.9
17.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.84 COP 33.1K
$6.73 R 115
31.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 COP 8,791
$1.6 R 27.47
46.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 COP 3,995
$1.51 R 25.91
-29.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 COP 5,672
$1.53 R 26.13
-1.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COP 5,121
$1.58 R 27.1
-13.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 COP 4,397
$1.48 R 25.39
-20.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COP 4,361
$1.45 R 24.87
-20.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COP 3,339
$1.04 R 17.77
-14.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COP 3,157
$0.94 R 16.14
-10.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 COP 8,746
$3.13 R 53.6
-25.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 COP 37.5K
$5.74 R 98.2
74.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.2 COP 4,494
$1.29 R 22.09
-6.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 COP 9,397
$1.68 R 28.73
49.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COP 3,216
$1.7 R 29.16
-49.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.69 COP 156.1K
$70.2 R 1,201
-40.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 5,334
$1.09 R 18.64
30.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.9 COP 7,122
$0.94 R 16.13
102.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.83 COP 29.3K
$4.05 R 69.4
93.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COP 3,573
$1.23 R 21.05
-22.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18K COP 67.4M
$22.7K R 388.1K
-20.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27K COP 101.2M
$23.4K R 401K
15.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 COP 312.5K
$116 R 1,986
-28.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.94 COP 37.2K
$40.51 R 694
-75.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.34 COP 91.2K
$43.51 R 745
-44.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.63 COP 96K
$34.39 R 589
-25.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.22 COP 72K
$13.69 R 234
40.39%
Cinema Ticket
$4.06 COP 15.2K
$7.15 R 122
-43.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$311 COP 1.2M
$209 R 3,579
48.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,954 COP 22.3M
$4,823 R 82.6K
23.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3 COP 218.5K
$50.4 R 862
15.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.67 COP 118.6K
$34.17 R 585
-7.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 COP 376.1K
$89.3 R 1,528
12.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 COP 400K
$77.2 R 1,322
38.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$475 COP 1.8M
$425 R 7,283
11.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$377 COP 1.4M
$374 R 6,408
0.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$825 COP 3.1M
$900 R 15.4K
-8.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$732 COP 2.7M
$708 R 12.1K
3.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,223 COP 8.3M
$874 R 15K
154.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,553 COP 5.8M
$650 R 11.1K
139.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Johannesburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$559 COP 2.1M
$1,531 R 26.2K
-63.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
11.51
16.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 24, 2025

Last update for Johannesburg: November 23, 2025

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