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: $747 in Blantyre versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Blantyre versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,618 in Blantyre versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Blantyre costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Blantyre 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 MWK 8,598

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.89 MWK 25.6K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-54.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 MWK 15.2K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

20.98%

Cappuccino

$2.61 MWK 4,490

$1.72 COP 5,600

51.74%

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

$0.85 MWK 1,456

$1.05 COP 3,420

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MWK 910

$0.77 COP 2,515

-31.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MWK 2,041

$1.69 COP 5,488

-29.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MWK 5,046

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-7.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MWK 1,615

$1.05 COP 3,423

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 MWK 2,133

$1.30 COP 4,236

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 MWK 3,391

$1.40 COP 4,544

41.43%

Eggs

$1.75 MWK 3,010

$2.16 COP 7,047

-18.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.65 MWK 6,270

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-16.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 MWK 9,453

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-6.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 MWK 10.7K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-27.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 MWK 3,681

$2.28 COP 7,426

-6.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 MWK 4,061

$1.11 COP 3,604

113.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 MWK 4,107

$1.53 COP 4,983

56.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MWK 1,884

$1.35 COP 4,410

-18.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MWK 2,343

$1.13 COP 3,674

20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 MWK 2,258

$1.13 COP 3,692

15.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 MWK 526

$0.85 COP 2,753

-63.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MWK 1,435

$0.91 COP 2,975

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 MWK 3,954

$2.34 COP 7,630

-1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 MWK 18.4K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MWK 1,563

$1.20 COP 3,909

-24.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 MWK 2,816

$2.49 COP 8,104

-34.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 MWK 1,515

$0.84 COP 2,728

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 MWK 1,039

$1.42 COP 4,623

-57.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MWK 4,287

$1.92 COP 6,235

30.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MWK 10.4K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-20.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MWK 2,739

$0.99 COP 3,223

60.61%

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

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

92.82%

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

$39.5K MWK 67.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

48.51%

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

$37.42 MWK 64.3K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-53.69%

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

$8.14 MWK 14.0K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-18.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$148 MWK 253.8K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

511.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 MWK 103.0K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

139.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.60 MWK 25.1K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-23.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$361 MWK 619.1K

$305 COP 993.5K

18.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$597 MWK 1.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-90.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.00 MWK 77.3K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-22.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.22 MWK 58.8K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 MWK 101.5K

$101 COP 327.9K

-41.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 MWK 118.9K

$108 COP 350.8K

-35.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 MWK 343.2K

$477 COP 1.6M

-58.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.3 MWK 153.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-76.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 MWK 931.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

-35.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 MWK 606.9K

$730 COP 2.4M

-51.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$400 MWK 686.8K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-70.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$339 MWK 582.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-44.98%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $200 in Blantyre and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 82% 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 $181 vs $193 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 38% in total monthly costs ($747 vs $1,031 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 82% 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: $200 in Blantyre versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $747 per month in Blantyre versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $747 in Blantyre versus $1,031 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.