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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,172 in Juba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,854 in Juba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,536 in Juba, rent included.

Medellin is about 68% cheaper than Juba, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Juba is 137% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.12 SSP 14.4K

16.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$46.89 SSP 132.0K

-29.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.95 SSP 19.6K

2.01%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.97 SSP 2,732

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.04 SSP 5,749

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.51 SSP 1,447

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$7.03 SSP 19.8K

-79.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.47 SSP 4,137

-35.37%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$101 SSP 283.0K

-75.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$348 SSP 979.5K

-92.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$3,536 SSP 10.0M

-86.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$2,659 SSP 7.5M

-85.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$12.0K SSP 33.8M

-93.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,310 SSP 3.7M

-44.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,784 SSP 5.0M

-71.31%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Juba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $3,536 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 249% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $14.00 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 213%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $4,758 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 1214% 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 $1,013, than in Juba at $3,172. 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.