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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,206 in Windhoek, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,057 in Windhoek, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,907 in Windhoek, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Windhoek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Windhoek is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$11.61 NAD 190

-30.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$62.1 NAD 1,017

-22.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.11 NAD 100

61.87%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.43 NAD 39.71

28.81%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.89 NAD 14.62

114.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.94 NAD 15.37

60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.05 NAD 33.51

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.28 NAD 37.38

152.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.64 NAD 26.93

-12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.90 NAD 14.79

176.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.18 NAD 35.66

-18.81%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.11 NAD 50.8

-4.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.62 NAD 158

4.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.83 NAD 112

48.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.52 NAD 123

90.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.24 NAD 36.68

84.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.95 NAD 32.00

-17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.93 NAD 31.59

16.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.19 NAD 35.85

2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.18 NAD 35.76

-6.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.80 NAD 29.41

-14.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.97 NAD 32.27

-40.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.15 NAD 18.80

13.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.41 NAD 55.8

14.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.13 NAD 117

96.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.45 NAD 23.74

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.47 NAD 24.06

95.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.83 NAD 13.65

46.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$48.44 NAD 793

66.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.84 NAD 13.73

55.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.90 NAD 14.81

143.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$15.77 NAD 258

-44.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.38 NAD 22.64

-0.72%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$24.4K NAD 399.8K

14.01%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$30.1K NAD 493.0K

18.82%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$141 NAD 2,310

25.69%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$28.22 NAD 462

-50.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$48.44 NAD 793

-38.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$38.41 NAD 629

16.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$10.56 NAD 173

62.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.60 NAD 91.6

18.75%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$211 NAD 3,457

285.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,403 NAD 88.5K

70.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$57.1 NAD 936

56.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$35.44 NAD 580

66.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$91.5 NAD 1,499

50.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$101 NAD 1,652

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$545 NAD 8,917

95.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$385 NAD 6,302

72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,181 NAD 19.3K

59.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$963 NAD 15.8K

6.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,623 NAD 26.6K

157.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$619 NAD 10.1K

170.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,023 NAD 16.8K

-33.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.42

-4.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $545 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 51% higher in Windhoek, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $230 in Windhoek – so Windhoek wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,810 in Windhoek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Windhoek, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $62.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,206 in Windhoek. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Windhoek, where all-in costs run around $1,206, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Windhoek it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Windhoek – 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 Windhoek. 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.