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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Windhoek is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 NAD 190

$8.02 COP 25.0K

44.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 NAD 1,017

$47.87 COP 149.4K

29.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 NAD 100

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-38.22%

Cappuccino

$2.43 NAD 39.71

$3.13 COP 9,767

-22.36%

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

$0.89 NAD 14.62

$1.91 COP 5,954

-53.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 NAD 15.37

$1.51 COP 4,712

-37.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 NAD 33.51

$3.12 COP 9,747

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NAD 37.38

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-60.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NAD 26.93

$1.44 COP 4,509

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 NAD 14.79

$2.49 COP 7,759

-63.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 NAD 35.66

$1.77 COP 5,535

23.16%

Eggs

$3.11 NAD 50.8

$2.96 COP 9,235

5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 NAD 158

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-4.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 NAD 112

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-32.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 NAD 123

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-47.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 NAD 36.68

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-45.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 NAD 32.00

$1.61 COP 5,019

21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 NAD 31.59

$2.25 COP 7,007

-14.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 NAD 35.85

$2.25 COP 7,028

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 NAD 35.76

$2.04 COP 6,375

6.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 NAD 29.41

$1.54 COP 4,790

16.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NAD 32.27

$1.17 COP 3,651

68.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NAD 18.80

$1.31 COP 4,077

-12.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 NAD 55.8

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-12.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 NAD 117

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-49.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 NAD 23.74

$1.74 COP 5,439

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 NAD 24.06

$2.87 COP 8,956

-48.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 NAD 13.65

$1.22 COP 3,792

-31.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.44 NAD 793

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-39.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 NAD 13.73

$1.31 COP 4,084

-35.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 NAD 14.81

$2.19 COP 6,825

-58.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.77 NAD 258

$8.71 COP 27.2K

81.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 NAD 22.64

$1.37 COP 4,260

0.73%

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

$24.4K NAD 399.8K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-12.29%

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

$30.1K NAD 493.0K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-15.84%

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

$141 NAD 2,310

$177 COP 553.2K

-20.44%

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

$28.22 NAD 462

$13.88 COP 43.3K

103.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.44 NAD 793

$29.72 COP 92.8K

62.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 NAD 629

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 NAD 173

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-38.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 NAD 91.6

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-15.79%

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

$211 NAD 3,457

$813 COP 2.5M

-74.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,403 NAD 88.5K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-41.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 NAD 936

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-36.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 NAD 580

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-39.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 NAD 1,499

$138 COP 431.2K

-33.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NAD 1,652

$102 COP 318.7K

-1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 NAD 8,917

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-48.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 NAD 6,302

$663 COP 2.1M

-41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 NAD 19.3K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-37.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 NAD 15.8K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-6.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,623 NAD 26.6K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-61.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$619 NAD 10.1K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-63.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,023 NAD 16.8K

$678 COP 2.1M

51.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.94

4.39%

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

Last update for Windhoek: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Windhoek versus $1,062 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 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 $62.0 in Windhoek versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Windhoek vs $305 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 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 $1,810 per month in Windhoek and $2,521 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 $62.0 in Windhoek and $48.00 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 $1,206 in Windhoek and $1,681 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 $1,206, 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.