Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port Harcourt Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Port Harcourt

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $400 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $822 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

Medellin costs about 321% more than Port Harcourt, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Port Harcourt is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.95 ₦2,590

311.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$30.80 ₦40.8K

55.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.74 ₦6,282

108.65%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.65 ₦2,190

89.70%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.62 ₦816

208.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.65 ₦859

132.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.42 ₦1,876

119.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.04 ₦4,029

89.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.61 ₦3,456

-44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.94 ₦1,244

164.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.21 ₦4,248

-44.86%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.72 ₦2,276

72.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$1.83 ₦2,430

453.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.50 ₦3,311

65.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.30 ₦3,050

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.82 ₦2,416

23.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.94 ₦3,900

-23.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.23 ₦2,960

-8.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.54 ₦2,043

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.63 ₦840

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.32 ₦7,048

163.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.72 ₦951

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.52 ₦2,015

88.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.36 ₦483

263.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.54 ₦720

153.70%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$29.83 ₦39.5K

494.37%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.80 ₦5,035

265.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$14.46 ₦19.2K

210.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.10 ₦5,435

62.20%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$25.44 ₦33.7K

3095.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$807 ₦1.1M

1038.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$6.98 ₦9,247

1182.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$11.74 ₦15.6K

402.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$14.87 ₦19.7K

586.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$154 ₦203.9K

590.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$105 ₦138.6K

534.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,137 ₦1.5M

66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$507 ₦671.5K

102.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$56.1 ₦74.4K

1107.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Port Harcourt: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $154 in Port Harcourt. 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 1107% 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 $31.00 in Port Harcourt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $147 – making Port Harcourt 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 Port Harcourt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 321%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $599 in Port Harcourt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Harcourt, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Port Harcourt. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 107% 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 Port Harcourt, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Port Harcourt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Harcourt – 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 Port Harcourt. 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.