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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $528 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,094 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,660 in Jos, rent included.

Medellin costs about 211% more than Jos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Jos is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.14 ₦2,835

275.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$29.30 ₦38.8K

64.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.60 ₦6,094

104.78%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.40 ₦4,508

-13.53%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.55 ₦730

238.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.70 ₦928

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.07 ₦1,421

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.10 ₦2,779

171.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$3.63 ₦4,811

-60.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.85 ₦1,128

182.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.25 ₦2,979

-24.44%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.86 ₦2,461

55.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.99 ₦13.2K

0.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.12 ₦6,780

94.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$4.02 ₦5,324

253.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.98 ₦2,622

101.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.49 ₦1,975

6.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.53 ₦2,026

40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.29 ₦3,028

0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.80 ₦2,381

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.43 ₦3,222

-37.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.58 ₦769

106.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.37 ₦488

245.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.04 ₦2,697

88.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$5.77 ₦7,642

142.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.23 ₦1,632

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.79 ₦2,378

53.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.58 ₦774

125.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.80 ₦1,054

171.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$1.83 ₦2,427

353.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.58 ₦768

134.48%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$26.5K ₦35.1M

3.78%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$18.3K ₦24.3M

99.38%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$101 ₦134.5K

66.26%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$6.36 ₦8,428

113.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$28.56 ₦37.9K

-0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$39.25 ₦52.0K

16.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$12.21 ₦16.2K

41.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.92 ₦6,523

35.16%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$44.31 ₦58.7K

1713.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,017 ₦1.3M

804.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$9.88 ₦13.1K

784.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$15.03 ₦19.9K

295.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$50.9 ₦67.4K

172.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$49.03 ₦65.0K

108.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$549 ₦727.6K

250.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$488 ₦646.9K

114.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,040 ₦2.7M

102.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,481 ₦2.0M

14.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$100 ₦132.6K

554.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

22.5

-51.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jos: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 555% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Jos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $203 – making Jos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,641 in Medellin, $528 in Jos – roughly 211% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $792 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Jos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $528 in Jos to $1,641 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.