Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Juba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Juba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $3,282 in Juba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,889 in Juba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,495 in Juba, rent included.

Medellin is about 69% cheaper than Juba, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Juba is 146% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.90 SSP 13.8K

25.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$47.36 SSP 133.3K

-31.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.97 SSP 19.6K

5.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.01 SSP 2,847

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.11 SSP 5,946

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 SSP 1,457

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$7.19 SSP 20.2K

-80.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.46 SSP 4,104

-32.19%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$100.0 SSP 281.3K

-75.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$345 SSP 970.9K

-92.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$3,532 SSP 9.9M

-86.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$2,754 SSP 7.8M

-86.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$11.9K SSP 33.4M

-92.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,304 SSP 3.7M

-43.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,764 SSP 5.0M

-65.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Juba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $3,532 in Juba. 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 186% higher in Juba, 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 $47.00 in Juba. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $15.00 in Juba – so Juba 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 Juba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Juba is pricier by about 218%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $4,923 in Juba. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1216% cheaper in Juba – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $47.00 in Juba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Juba at $3,282. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Juba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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