Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Joinville Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Joinville

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $787 in Joinville, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,295 in Joinville, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,802 in Joinville, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than Joinville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Joinville are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Joinville 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$7.38 R$36.73

-19.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$36.27 R$181

-9.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$6.44 R$32.05

11.80%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$1.41 R$7.01

20.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.94 R$4.66

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.65 R$3.25

10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$2.76 R$13.76

-39.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.47 R$12.29

25.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$0.88 R$4.38

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.24 R$6.18

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$0.83 R$4.13

67.47%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.50 R$12.44

-9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$7.05 R$35.11

-38.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$3.08 R$15.33

89.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$8.00 R$39.85

10.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$1.30 R$6.48

72.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.12 R$5.58

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.18 R$5.88

29.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.38 R$6.86

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.16 R$5.78

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.88 R$4.38

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.02 R$5.08

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.71 R$3.52

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.85 R$14.18

-18.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$9.53 R$47.48

16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$0.99 R$4.94

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$3.00 R$14.96

-21.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$1.02 R$5.06

-22.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$50.1 R$249

-17.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$1.85 R$9.19

-22.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.01 R$5.03

89.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$8.58 R$42.71

-6.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.04 R$5.17

-9.62%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$24.1K R$120.0K

-25.60%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$29.0K R$144.7K

-7.77%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$52.9 R$263

58.80%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$13.14 R$65.5

-26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$20.43 R$102

18.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$22.81 R$114

13.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$21.81 R$109

-12.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$7.43 R$37.00

-47.24%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$274 R$1,365

11.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$5,583 R$27.8K

6.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$45.27 R$225

27.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$73.3 R$365

-56.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$82.3 R$410

21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$59.5 R$296

80.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$278 R$1,384

75.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$207 R$1,030

77.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$564 R$2,807

46.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$410 R$2,040

74.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,919 R$9,557

52.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,283 R$6,389

9.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$682 R$3,397

-20.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.2

31.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Joinville: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $278 in Joinville. 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 25% higher in Joinville, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Joinville. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $168 in Joinville – so Joinville 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

Medellin vs Joinville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 31% more than Joinville, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,181 in Joinville. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Joinville, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Joinville. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Joinville, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Joinville it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Joinville costs $787 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Joinville. 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.