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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $617 in Swakopmund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,123 in Swakopmund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,629 in Swakopmund, rent included.

Medellin costs about 166% more than Swakopmund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Swakopmund is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.1K

$6.32 NAD 101

27.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 150.7K

$37.29 NAD 596

29.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.4K

$3.76 NAD 60.0

150.53%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,169

$1.93 NAD 30.81

52.33%

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

$1.86 COP 5,817

$0.76 NAD 12.22

144.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,543

$0.60 NAD 9.65

143.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 10.0K

$1.38 NAD 21.98

132.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.8K

$1.83 NAD 29.16

212.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,491

$2.30 NAD 36.76

-37.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,494

$1.47 NAD 23.46

63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,302

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,022

$2.31 NAD 36.92

25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.4K

$8.02 NAD 128

25.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.3K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$3.64 NAD 58.2

9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,947

$1.59 NAD 25.45

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,718

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,178

$2.23 NAD 35.64

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,257

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,712

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,754

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 4,002

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 12.0K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.41 NAD 134

66.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,331

$0.61 NAD 9.74

180.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,560

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,888

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 243.1K

$31.14 NAD 497

150.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,073

$0.84 NAD 13.39

55.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,775

$0.91 NAD 14.55

138.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.9K

$7.38 NAD 118

12.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,231

$1.29 NAD 20.64

5.43%

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

$27.5K COP 85.7M

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

$36.5K COP 114.0M

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

$169 COP 526.6K

$57.4 NAD 918

193.73%

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

$13.57 COP 42.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 88.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 142.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.8K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 272.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 185.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 433.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.5K

$74.5 NAD 1,190

36.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$434 NAD 6,934

146.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$255 NAD 4,070

156.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$934 NAD 14.9K

106.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$738 NAD 11.8K

41.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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 7, 2026

Last update for Swakopmund: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $434 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Swakopmund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $130 – making Swakopmund 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 Swakopmund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 166%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $925 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.

Public transport costs about 150% less in Swakopmund. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 131% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Swakopmund, where all-in costs run around $617, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.