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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,245 per month in Windhoek vs $1,662 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,066 per month in Windhoek vs $2,451 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,886 per month in Windhoek vs $3,241 in Medellin, rent included.

Windhoek is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Windhoek sits 8% below the global median, while Medellin is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 NAD 188

$7.94 COP 24.9K

46.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 NAD 855

$43.55 COP 136.5K

21.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 NAD 95.4

$9.73 COP 30.5K

-39.36%

Cappuccino

$2.33 NAD 37.60

$2.92 COP 9,144

-20.21%

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

$0.87 NAD 13.98

$1.88 COP 5,900

-53.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 NAD 15.41

$1.53 COP 4,801

-37.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 NAD 29.52

$3.25 COP 10.2K

-43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NAD 32.03

$5.62 COP 17.6K

-64.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 NAD 25.26

$1.30 COP 4,088

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 NAD 15.95

$2.32 COP 7,281

-57.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 NAD 35.09

$1.43 COP 4,492

51.75%

Eggs

$3.16 NAD 51.0

$2.82 COP 8,836

12.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 NAD 158

$8.94 COP 28.0K

9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 NAD 111

$10.74 COP 33.7K

-35.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 NAD 124

$14.45 COP 45.3K

-46.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 NAD 37.54

$3.97 COP 12.4K

-41.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 NAD 31.77

$1.38 COP 4,330

42.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 NAD 31.27

$2.26 COP 7,075

-14.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 NAD 36.40

$2.10 COP 6,574

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NAD 34.75

$2.09 COP 6,561

2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 NAD 29.89

$1.60 COP 5,018

15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 NAD 32.40

$1.04 COP 3,258

92.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 NAD 19.54

$1.28 COP 3,996

-5.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 NAD 53.4

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-16.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 NAD 118

$13.37 COP 41.9K

-45.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 NAD 23.23

$1.66 COP 5,194

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 NAD 23.49

$2.98 COP 9,324

-51.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 NAD 12.72

$1.23 COP 3,843

-35.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 NAD 792

$78.6 COP 246.3K

-37.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 NAD 12.46

$1.51 COP 4,717

-49.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 NAD 15.71

$2.04 COP 6,394

-52.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 NAD 262

$8.52 COP 26.7K

90.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 NAD 22.78

$1.35 COP 4,222

4.44%

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

$24.8K NAD 400.9K

$28.1K COP 88.0M

-11.66%

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

$29.4K NAD 474.6K

$36.0K COP 112.8M

-18.44%

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

$142 NAD 2,291

$152 COP 476.4K

-6.79%

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

$27.98 NAD 452

$13.16 COP 41.3K

112.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.61 NAD 786

$31.61 COP 99.1K

53.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 NAD 623

$47.90 COP 150.1K

-19.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.65 NAD 172

$16.95 COP 53.1K

-37.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 NAD 89.6

$6.41 COP 20.1K

-13.57%

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

$210 NAD 3,402

$853 COP 2.7M

-75.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,465 NAD 88.3K

$8,701 COP 27.3M

-37.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 NAD 926

$91.0 COP 285.1K

-37.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.53 NAD 574

$54.6 COP 171.1K

-34.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 NAD 1,479

$136 COP 425.9K

-32.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 NAD 1,621

$109 COP 340.8K

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 NAD 8,904

$963 COP 3.0M

-42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 NAD 6,205

$658 COP 2.1M

-41.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 NAD 19.2K

$1,985 COP 6.2M

-40.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 NAD 15.9K

$1,158 COP 3.6M

-14.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,616 NAD 26.1K

$3,664 COP 11.5M

-55.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$613 NAD 9,910

$1,573 COP 4.9M

-61.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,009 NAD 16.3K

$629 COP 2.0M

60.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.43

9.49%

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

Last update for Windhoek: August 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Windhoek versus $963 in Medellin. 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 60% 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 $53.0 in Windhoek versus $44.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Windhoek vs $295 in Medellin – 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

Windhoek vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,868 per month in Windhoek and $2,493 in Medellin. 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 $53.0 in Windhoek and $44.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,245 in Windhoek and $1,662 in Medellin. 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 $1,245, than in Medellin at $1,662. 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.