Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swakopmund Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swakopmund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $743 in Swakopmund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,120 in Swakopmund, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,497 in Swakopmund, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Swakopmund, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Swakopmund are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Swakopmund 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.48 NAD 89.5

9.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$33.89 NAD 553

-3.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.20 NAD 52.3

121.56%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.64 NAD 26.76

4.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.74 NAD 12.10

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.55 NAD 8.95

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.23 NAD 20.08

36.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.62 NAD 26.51

89.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.26 NAD 20.60

-13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.85 NAD 13.81

48.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.15 NAD 35.08

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.08 NAD 116

-37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.43 NAD 23.33

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.92 NAD 31.42

-28.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.25 NAD 36.66

-60.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.02 NAD 49.26

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.81 NAD 111

56.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.57 NAD 9.31

110.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.69 NAD 11.28

113.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.24 NAD 20.26

-23.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$13.7K NAD 224.4K

31.89%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$16.9K NAD 275.2K

57.13%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$50.4 NAD 822

63.36%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$66.3 NAD 1,081

-63.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$33.95 NAD 554

-23.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$11.26 NAD 184

68.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.02 NAD 98.3

-34.72%

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 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$67.6 NAD 1,103

60.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$464 NAD 7,579

2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$355 NAD 5,801

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$981 NAD 16.0K

-14.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$662 NAD 10.8K

9.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$620 NAD 10.1K

350.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$372 NAD 6,080

225.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $464 in Swakopmund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Swakopmund. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $95.0 in Swakopmund – so Swakopmund 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 Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,114 in Swakopmund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swakopmund, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $34.00 in Swakopmund. 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 Swakopmund, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Swakopmund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Swakopmund. 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.