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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,025 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,409 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,792 in Jos, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Jos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$1.31 ₦1,789

351.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$13.82 ₦18.8K

138.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.56 ₦6,209

62.94%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.36 ₦3,218

-30.08%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.34 ₦469

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.25 ₦343

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$0.69 ₦934

149.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$3.61 ₦4,920

-69.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.89 ₦1,213

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$3.42 ₦4,658

-59.65%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.92 ₦3,978

-25.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$10.07 ₦13.7K

-55.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.98 ₦6,782

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$4.41 ₦6,016

103.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$4.11 ₦5,609

-43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$4.97 ₦6,774

-78.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$2.74 ₦3,736

-44.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$3.95 ₦5,381

-65.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$2.30 ₦3,139

-50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.97 ₦2,686

-40.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.64 ₦874

40.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.77 ₦1,056

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$5.78 ₦7,881

109.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.74 ₦1,015

60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.98 ₦1,330

44.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$9.88 ₦13.5K

-20.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.88 ₦1,197

12.50%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$100 ₦136.9K

-17.34%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$9.95 ₦13.6K

-2.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$40.13 ₦54.7K

-37.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$12.12 ₦16.5K

57.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$9.23 ₦12.6K

-57.20%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$985 ₦1.3M

506.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$9.94 ₦13.5K

503.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$14.79 ₦20.2K

115.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$50.9 ₦69.3K

99.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$50.6 ₦68.9K

112.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$696 ₦949.0K

-31.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$472 ₦642.7K

-20.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$850 ₦1.2M

-0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$606 ₦826.6K

18.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,033 ₦2.8M

60.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,478 ₦2.0M

-2.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$68.2 ₦92.9K

816.15%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jos: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $696 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 816% higher in Medellin, 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 $14.00 in Jos. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $258 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,025 in Jos – roughly 2% apart. Jos costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,538 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,025 in Jos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Jos at $1,025. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jos 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,025 in Jos. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.