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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,002 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,365 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,728 in Jos, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Jos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.29 ₦1,775

358.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.85 ₦19.1K

136.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.70 ₦6,472

53.19%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.33 ₦3,203

-27.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.34 ₦474

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.25 ₦345

188.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.69 ₦948

142.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$3.65 ₦5,030

-70.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.95 ₦1,310

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.29 ₦4,528

-57.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.95 ₦4,062

-23.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.91 ₦13.6K

-56.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.11 ₦7,042

14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.59 ₦6,316

92.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.11 ₦5,653

-45.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$4.89 ₦6,734

-77.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.72 ₦3,748

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.03 ₦5,543

-66.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.28 ₦3,143

-50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.98 ₦2,720

-43.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.64 ₦877

32.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.71 ₦982

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$3.98 ₦5,486

179.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.74 ₦1,012

60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.01 ₦1,393

42.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$10.14 ₦14.0K

-20.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.96 ₦1,323

-2.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$98.7 ₦135.9K

-14.93%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.98 ₦13.7K

-3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.33 ₦54.2K

-34.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$12.15 ₦16.7K

56.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.77 ₦12.1K

-55.30%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$990 ₦1.4M

498.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$10.01 ₦13.8K

478.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$14.95 ₦20.6K

112.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$50.1 ₦69.0K

99.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$49.78 ₦68.5K

115.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$697 ₦959.0K

-30.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$475 ₦654.6K

-22.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$875 ₦1.2M

-5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$603 ₦829.6K

18.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,960 ₦2.7M

49.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,521 ₦2.1M

-7.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$108 ₦149.3K

403.24%

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 Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Jos: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $697 in Jos. 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 403% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Jos. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $255 in Jos – 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

Medellin vs Jos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,002 in Jos – roughly 3% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,504 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jos, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Jos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,002 in Jos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $1,002, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,002 in Jos to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Jos. 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.