Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wadi Musa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wadi Musa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $959 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,204 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,449 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 6% more than Wadi Musa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Wadi Musa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Wadi Musa 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.95 COPΒ 20.8K
$5.40 JODΒ 3.82
10.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.33 COPΒ 116.3K
$35.44 JODΒ 25.08
-5.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.23 COPΒ 25.2K
$4.91 JODΒ 3.48
47.25%
Cappuccino
$1.63 COPΒ 5,687
$2.75 JODΒ 1.95
-40.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,821
$0.48 JODΒ 0.34
127.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 COPΒ 2,548
$0.36 JODΒ 0.26
102.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.74 COPΒ 6,065
$5.76 JODΒ 4.08
-69.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 COPΒ 11.3K
$7.13 JODΒ 5.04
-54.70%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COPΒ 3,662
$1.43 JODΒ 1.01
-26.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 COPΒ 4,515
$0.55 JODΒ 0.39
134.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 COPΒ 4,617
$1.56 JODΒ 1.11
-15.38%
Eggs
$2.27 COPΒ 7,927
$2.46 JODΒ 1.74
-7.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.35 COPΒ 15.2K
$6.44 JODΒ 4.56
-32.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COPΒ 20.5K
$4.76 JODΒ 3.37
23.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.61 COPΒ 30.0K
$11.48 JODΒ 8.13
-25.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.25 COPΒ 7,844
$1.75 JODΒ 1.24
28.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 COPΒ 3,733
$1.38 JODΒ 0.98
-22.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 COPΒ 5,322
$1.48 JODΒ 1.04
2.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 COPΒ 4,964
$0.70 JODΒ 0.49
102.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 COPΒ 4,084
$0.87 JODΒ 0.61
34.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 COPΒ 4,077
$0.73 JODΒ 0.52
60.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,096
$0.66 JODΒ 0.47
34.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 COPΒ 3,146
$0.50 JODΒ 0.35
80.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25 COPΒ 7,837
$3.30 JODΒ 2.33
-31.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 COPΒ 38.5K
$20.94 JODΒ 14.82
-47.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 COPΒ 3,977
$4.79 JODΒ 3.39
-76.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 COPΒ 8,301
$5.29 JODΒ 3.75
-55.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,916
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.95 COPΒ 146.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 COPΒ 4,912
$0.73 JODΒ 0.52
93.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 COPΒ 6,634
$1.38 JODΒ 0.97
37.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.75 COPΒ 27.0K
$7.23 JODΒ 5.12
7.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 COPΒ 3,509
$1.15 JODΒ 0.82
-12.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6K COPΒ 61.4M
$26.7K JODΒ 18.9K
-34.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 92.5M
$31.8K JODΒ 22.5K
-16.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.7 COPΒ 292.1K
$69.8 JODΒ 49.43
19.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.45 COPΒ 33.0K
$4.25 JODΒ 3.01
122.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.11 COPΒ 84.1K
$13.84 JODΒ 9.79
74.21%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.31 COPΒ 88.3K
$35.41 JODΒ 25.06
-28.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.14 COPΒ 66.8K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.10 COPΒ 14.3K
$11.38 JODΒ 8.06
-63.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$312 COPΒ 1.1M
$271 JODΒ 192
15.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,993 COPΒ 20.9M
$5,377 JODΒ 3,806
11.45%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 COPΒ 202.6K
$61.8 JODΒ 43.73
-6.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.56 COPΒ 113.6K
$56.3 JODΒ 39.81
-42.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.6 COPΒ 347.7K
$115 JODΒ 81.5
-13.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 COPΒ 378.8K
$81.5 JODΒ 57.7
33.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 COPΒ 1.7M
$347 JODΒ 246
38.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.3M
$286 JODΒ 203
32.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$837 COPΒ 2.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 COPΒ 2.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,840 COPΒ 9.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,223 COPΒ 4.3M
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Wadi Musa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$541 COPΒ 1.9M
$503 JODΒ 356
7.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
7.27
84.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Wadi Musa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $347 in Wadi Musa. 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 7% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Wadi Musa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $229 – making Medellin 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 Wadi Musa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wadi Musa cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,438 in Wadi Musa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Wadi Musa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Wadi Musa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Wadi Musa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Wadi Musa?
Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Wadi Musa?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wadi Musa, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Wadi Musa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Wadi Musa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Wadi Musa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Wadi Musa?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Wadi Musa. 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.

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