Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Windhoek Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Windhoek

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,115 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,814 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,513 in Windhoek, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Windhoek, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Windhoek 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.72 NAD 174

-44.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$39.61 NAD 641

-17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$5.16 NAD 83.6

43.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.85 NAD 29.91

-10.81%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.92 NAD 14.83

16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.94 NAD 15.27

-19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.76 NAD 28.51

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.19 NAD 35.43

46.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.39 NAD 22.46

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.81 NAD 13.08

61.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.65 NAD 26.78

-18.79%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.89 NAD 46.83

-24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$6.42 NAD 104

-31.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$5.29 NAD 85.6

7.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$6.69 NAD 108

27.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.81 NAD 29.31

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.91 NAD 30.85

-41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.70 NAD 27.58

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.81 NAD 29.30

-24.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.06 NAD 33.41

-44.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.80 NAD 29.14

-34.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.87 NAD 30.35

-55.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.14 NAD 18.39

-24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.86 NAD 46.32

-20.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$7.12 NAD 115

62.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.38 NAD 22.40

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.90 NAD 30.72

30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.70 NAD 11.26

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$39.99 NAD 647

2.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.76 NAD 12.23

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.68 NAD 10.97

182.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$11.88 NAD 192

-34.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.24 NAD 20.00

-18.55%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$21.5K NAD 347.5K

-17.73%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$24.0K NAD 388.2K

10.34%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$115 NAD 1,863

-29.50%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$18.08 NAD 293

-47.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$51.7 NAD 838

-53.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$37.55 NAD 608

-30.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$13.14 NAD 213

42.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.15 NAD 83.4

-20.58%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$215 NAD 3,478

46.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$5,123 NAD 82.9K

17.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$50.4 NAD 816

18.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$27.22 NAD 441

17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$88.8 NAD 1,437

14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$81.1 NAD 1,314

29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$490 NAD 7,929

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$385 NAD 6,233

-5.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,289 NAD 20.9K

-35.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$952 NAD 15.4K

-23.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,618 NAD 26.2K

84.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$618 NAD 9,999

112.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,020 NAD 16.5K

-45.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69

14.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $490 in Windhoek. 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 85% higher in Windhoek, 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 $40.00 in Windhoek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $198 – 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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Windhoek is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,673 in Windhoek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Windhoek. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $1,115 in Windhoek. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Windhoek at $1,115. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windhoek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Windhoek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.