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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $985 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,362 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,739 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 24% lower, Jos 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.31 ₦1,782

354.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$13.94 ₦18.9K

139.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.60 ₦6,256

57.17%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.37 ₦3,224

-31.22%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.37 ₦507

194.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.23 ₦310

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.74 ₦1,001

135.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$3.53 ₦4,798

-70.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.89 ₦1,212

44.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.28 ₦4,458

-59.76%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.92 ₦3,970

-22.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.98 ₦13.6K

-56.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.95 ₦6,726

18.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.56 ₦6,195

88.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.93 ₦5,347

-42.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$4.86 ₦6,602

-77.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.72 ₦3,696

-44.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.90 ₦5,296

-63.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.20 ₦2,985

-46.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.97 ₦2,675

-40.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.59 ₦807

50.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.76 ₦1,029

18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.69 ₦933

65.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.98 ₦1,332

43.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$10.17 ₦13.8K

-23.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.90 ₦1,221

12.22%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$101 ₦137.3K

-17.10%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.82 ₦13.3K

-3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$40.62 ₦55.2K

-37.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.88 ₦16.1K

61.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.82 ₦12.0K

-53.51%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,018 ₦1.4M

488.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$10.10 ₦13.7K

474.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$14.78 ₦20.1K

120.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$50.7 ₦69.0K

96.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$49.83 ₦67.8K

117.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$714 ₦970.5K

-32.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$478 ₦649.9K

-20.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$859 ₦1.2M

-2.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$588 ₦799.7K

22.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,987 ₦2.7M

42.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,503 ₦2.0M

-18.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$68.4 ₦93.0K

691.09%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $714 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 691% 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 $242 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $985 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,478 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $985 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 $985, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $985 in Jos to $1,017 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.