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: $603 in Blantyre versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,033 in Blantyre versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,463 in Blantyre versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Blantyre costs roughly 65% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Blantyre is 56% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 MWK 6,999

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.16 MWK 22.6K

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-72.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 MWK 11.9K

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-29.07%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MWK 4,731

$2.91 COP 9,095

-5.15%

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

$0.84 MWK 1,436

$1.94 COP 6,074

-56.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MWK 827

$1.52 COP 4,754

-68.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 MWK 1,807

$3.09 COP 9,663

-66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MWK 3,092

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-68.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MWK 1,747

$1.36 COP 4,262

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MWK 2,269

$2.39 COP 7,460

-44.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MWK 3,458

$1.70 COP 5,314

18.24%

Eggs

$1.66 MWK 2,848

$2.87 COP 8,967

-42.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.62 MWK 6,218

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-63.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 MWK 9,744

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-47.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.42 MWK 11.0K

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-56.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 MWK 3,755

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-46.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 MWK 4,065

$1.57 COP 4,911

50.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MWK 4,138

$2.13 COP 6,642

13.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 MWK 1,826

$2.21 COP 6,917

-52.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 MWK 2,231

$2.05 COP 6,396

-36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 MWK 2,232

$1.50 COP 4,700

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MWK 572

$1.19 COP 3,718

-72.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MWK 1,411

$1.16 COP 3,619

-29.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 MWK 3,996

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-40.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 MWK 23.6K

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MWK 1,519

$1.58 COP 4,948

-44.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MWK 2,703

$2.83 COP 8,836

-44.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MWK 876

$1.17 COP 3,650

-56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MWK 991

$1.28 COP 4,014

-54.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 MWK 2,552

$2.09 COP 6,537

-28.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 MWK 6,663

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-54.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MWK 2,683

$1.30 COP 4,056

20.00%

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

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

25.73%

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

$38.6K MWK 66.3M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

8.76%

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

$26.69 MWK 45.8K

$176 COP 550.1K

-84.84%

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

$8.10 MWK 13.9K

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-39.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.2 MWK 101.7K

$44.76 COP 139.8K

32.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 MWK 25.9K

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-11.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

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

$390 MWK 670.1K

$793 COP 2.5M

-50.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$591 MWK 1.0M

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-93.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.09 MWK 74.0K

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-49.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 MWK 67.7K

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-32.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.53 MWK 85.0K

$136 COP 425.9K

-63.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 MWK 118.6K

$103 COP 322.2K

-33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 MWK 398.3K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-78.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 MWK 199.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

-82.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 MWK 1.0M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-69.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MWK 664.0K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-66.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$393 MWK 675.1K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-76.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 MWK 571.7K

$665 COP 2.1M

-49.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Blantyre: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Blantyre and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 100% 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: $13.00 in Blantyre vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $303 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 185% in total monthly costs ($603 vs $1,716 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 100% lower in Medellin. 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: $232 in Blantyre versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $603 per month in Blantyre versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $603 in Blantyre versus $1,716 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 185% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.