Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Walvis Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Walvis Bay: $841 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Walvis Bay
🇳🇦 Namibia
$841
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Walvis Bay

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Walvis Bay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $841 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Walvis Bay $841

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $906 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Walvis Bay $906

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $971 in Walvis Bay, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Walvis Bay $971

Medellin costs about 93% more than Walvis Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Walvis Bay is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$8.96 NAD 148
-7.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$20.74 NAD 342
126.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$7.44 NAD 123
24.19%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$2.13 NAD 35.04
43.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$0.93 NAD 15.29
93.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$0.72 NAD 11.86
91.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$1.63 NAD 26.90
98.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$3.05 NAD 50.2
82.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.61 NAD 26.56
-6.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$0.88 NAD 14.45
169.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.83 NAD 30.08
-7.10%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$1.83 NAD 30.16
61.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$10.23 NAD 168
-0.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$6.18 NAD 102
57.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$7.05 NAD 116
97.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$2.22 NAD 36.65
86.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$2.01 NAD 33.09
-23.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$1.72 NAD 28.38
31.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$2.47 NAD 40.73
-19.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$2.96 NAD 48.79
-43.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.78 NAD 29.40
-33.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$1.85 NAD 30.51
644.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$41.68 NAD 687
8.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$65.3 NAD 1,075
34.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$452 NAD 7,443
37.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Walvis Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Walvis Bay: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Walvis Bay
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Walvis Bay
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Walvis Bay
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Walvis Bay
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Walvis Bay
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Walvis Bay
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Walvis Bay
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Walvis Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $178 – making Walvis Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇳🇦 Walvis Bay
🕒 Local time
02:13 2:13 AM
09:13 9:13 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
62,096
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NAD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 NAD (100 NAD = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 NAD (100 NAD = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Walvis Bay 10,290 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Walvis Bay

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Walvis Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walvis Bay cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $1,262 in Walvis Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Walvis Bay?
Groceries cost about 67% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Walvis Bay?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Walvis Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Walvis Bay?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Walvis Bay, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Walvis Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Walvis Bay more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Walvis Bay – 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 Walvis Bay?
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 Walvis Bay. 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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