Cost of Living Comparison Between Blantyre and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Blantyre and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $759 in Blantyre versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,198 in Blantyre versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,637 in Blantyre versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Blantyre costs roughly 25% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Blantyre 43% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 MWK 8,288

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.77 MWK 25.4K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-55.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 MWK 15.7K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

29.20%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MWK 4,509

$1.71 COP 6,105

53.80%

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

$0.81 MWK 1,385

$1.10 COP 3,918

-26.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MWK 849

$0.78 COP 2,776

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MWK 2,044

$1.68 COP 5,987

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MWK 4,896

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MWK 1,651

$1.09 COP 3,899

-11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 MWK 2,237

$1.26 COP 4,500

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 MWK 3,507

$1.38 COP 4,914

47.83%

Eggs

$1.75 MWK 3,010

$2.19 COP 7,813

-20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.49 MWK 6,000

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-20.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.57 MWK 9,567

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 MWK 10.4K

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-31.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 MWK 3,903

$2.34 COP 8,334

-2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 MWK 4,000

$1.06 COP 3,771

119.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MWK 4,287

$1.50 COP 5,365

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 MWK 1,827

$1.38 COP 4,915

-23.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 MWK 2,234

$1.15 COP 4,104

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MWK 2,277

$1.16 COP 4,148

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MWK 567

$0.89 COP 3,176

-62.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MWK 1,394

$0.84 COP 2,992

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 MWK 4,039

$2.28 COP 8,131

3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 MWK 18.6K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

1.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MWK 1,640

$1.20 COP 4,276

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 MWK 2,830

$2.47 COP 8,809

-33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 MWK 1,438

$0.86 COP 3,051

-2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MWK 979

$1.47 COP 5,255

-61.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MWK 4,072

$1.96 COP 6,997

20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 MWK 10.7K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-19.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MWK 2,659

$0.95 COP 3,403

63.16%

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

$35.6K MWK 61.1M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

96.14%

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

$39.6K MWK 68.0M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

49.55%

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

$38.46 MWK 66.0K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-53.24%

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

$7.76 MWK 13.3K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$146 MWK 250.2K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

501.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 MWK 102.3K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

130.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 MWK 25.6K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-21.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$355 MWK 610.0K

$309 COP 1.1M

14.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$597 MWK 1.0M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-89.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.54 MWK 78.2K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-22.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 MWK 60.6K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 MWK 99.1K

$103 COP 365.7K

-43.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 MWK 121.7K

$108 COP 386.5K

-34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 MWK 351.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-56.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 MWK 157.3K

$379 COP 1.4M

-75.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MWK 955.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

-33.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MWK 598.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-51.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$396 MWK 680.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-67.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$338 MWK 580.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-33.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Blantyre: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $205 in Blantyre and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 51% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $15.00 in Blantyre vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $188 per month, with Blantyre cheaper across the board.

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

Blantyre vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Blantyre and Medellin differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($759 vs $1,013 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 51% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $205 in Blantyre versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $759 per month in Blantyre versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $759 in Blantyre versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Blantyre but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Blantyre the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Blantyre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.