Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Onitsha and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.71 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Onitsha, Nigeria
Medellin, Colombia
Onitsha
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$0.71
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Onitsha and in Medellin

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

A single person spends $0.71 per month in Onitsha vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Onitsha $0.71
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1.25 per month in Onitsha vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Onitsha $1.25
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1.78 per month in Onitsha vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Onitsha $1.78
  • Medellin $3,186

Onitsha is about 100% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Onitsha sits 100% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$47.05 COP 151.8K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-
Cappuccino
-
$3.01 COP 9,729
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.80 COP 5,806
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.41 COP 4,558
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.18 COP 10.2K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.51 COP 4,873
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.38 COP 7,673
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.77 COP 5,716
-
Eggs
-
$2.89 COP 9,327
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.99 COP 45.1K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.55 COP 5,009
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.18 COP 7,044
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.18 COP 7,047
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.96 COP 6,333
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.59 COP 5,129
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.15 COP 3,696
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.24 COP 4,012
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.66 COP 5,356
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.26 COP 7,286
-
🚌 Getting Around
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 ₦239
$1.17 COP 3,769
-84.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.7K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.27 COP 4,092
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.05 COP 6,608
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.35 COP 4,346
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.1K COP 109.9M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$170 COP 547.5K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.55 COP 43.7K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.07 COP 90.6K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$43.70 COP 141.0K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$797 COP 2.6M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$84.7 COP 273.4K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$58.0 COP 187.0K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$135 COP 435.5K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$97.9 COP 315.8K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$642 COP 2.1M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Onitsha
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
10.94
-

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

Last update for Onitsha: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Onitsha
–
Medellin
$642
Groceries & Markets
Onitsha
–
Medellin
$297
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Onitsha
–
Medellin
$211
Eating Out
Onitsha
–
Medellin
$170
Clothing & Footwear
Onitsha
–
Medellin
$169
Getting Around
Onitsha
–
Medellin
$94
Sport & Entertainment
Onitsha
–
Medellin
$58
Good to know
🇳🇬 Onitsha
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
03:29 3:29 AM
21:29 9:29 PM
6 h behind Onitsha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,080,000
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1,337 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 1,498 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,617 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Onitsha Medellin 9,100 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Onitsha
  • Medellin

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
Onitsha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Onitsha cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 230807%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1.07 per month in Onitsha and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Onitsha or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Onitsha, where all-in costs run around $0.71, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Onitsha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Onitsha or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $0.71 in Onitsha to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Onitsha vs other spots: cost of living compared

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?