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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,106 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,822 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,538 in Windhoek, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Windhoek, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Windhoek are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Windhoek 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.61 NAD 176

-44.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$38.68 NAD 640

-14.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.36 NAD 88.6

38.62%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.84 NAD 30.46

-10.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.93 NAD 15.34

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.94 NAD 15.61

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.79 NAD 29.65

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.26 NAD 37.45

40.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.46 NAD 24.10

-24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.86 NAD 14.19

46.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.68 NAD 27.75

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.90 NAD 47.99

-24.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.43 NAD 106

-30.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.39 NAD 89.1

7.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.80 NAD 112

31.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.88 NAD 31.17

23.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.98 NAD 32.68

-46.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.72 NAD 28.38

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.81 NAD 29.91

-24.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.09 NAD 34.49

-45.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.77 NAD 29.21

-33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.85 NAD 30.53

-51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.10 NAD 18.14

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.77 NAD 45.80

-19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.77 NAD 112

79.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.35 NAD 22.33

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.85 NAD 30.59

34.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.74 NAD 12.16

14.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$40.82 NAD 675

1.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.74 NAD 12.29

91.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.73 NAD 12.06

167.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$11.48 NAD 190

-31.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.16 NAD 19.26

-14.66%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.5K NAD 356.3K

-18.28%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.3K NAD 402.8K

10.05%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$116 NAD 1,920

-28.48%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.88 NAD 296

-45.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$50.1 NAD 828

-53.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$36.58 NAD 605

-30.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$13.06 NAD 216

46.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.27 NAD 87.1

-25.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$217 NAD 3,581

45.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,159 NAD 85.3K

15.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$51.6 NAD 853

16.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$26.68 NAD 441

19.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$89.3 NAD 1,477

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$81.1 NAD 1,342

32.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$502 NAD 8,308

-5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$385 NAD 6,370

-2.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,253 NAD 20.7K

-32.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$930 NAD 15.4K

-22.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,587 NAD 26.3K

105.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$613 NAD 10.1K

134.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$993 NAD 16.4K

-37.12%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $502 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 59% 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 $39.00 in Windhoek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $200 – 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 10%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,658 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 $39.00 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,106 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 $1,003, than in Windhoek at $1,106. 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.