Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Bulawayo vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bulawayo sits 46% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-45.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ZWL 794

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-38.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-48.09%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

$2.94 COP 9,040

-26.87%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

$1.86 COP 5,735

-74.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

$1.46 COP 4,479

-72.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

$3.21 COP 9,882

-53.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-64.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

$1.44 COP 4,428

10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

$2.40 COP 7,389

-57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

$1.70 COP 5,228

-10.00%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$2.89 COP 8,896

-34.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ZWL 252

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-5.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZWL 106

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-59.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZWL 119

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-68.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-53.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

$1.58 COP 4,878

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

$2.15 COP 6,624

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

$2.30 COP 7,078

-56.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

$2.00 COP 6,169

-39.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

$1.51 COP 4,646

-4.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

$1.20 COP 3,701

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

$1.28 COP 3,946

-38.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-61.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-63.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

$1.71 COP 5,256

-18.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

$2.74 COP 8,440

-29.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

$1.25 COP 3,834

-41.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 790

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-61.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

$1.31 COP 4,016

132.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$2.17 COP 6,680

-6.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-41.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

$1.36 COP 4,172

19.85%

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

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-8.84%

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

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-32.93%

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

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

$169 COP 519.2K

-42.86%

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

$17.81 ZWL 475

$13.57 COP 41.8K

31.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 ZWL 2,922

$28.32 COP 87.2K

287.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-32.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

$17.22 COP 53.0K

15.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 ZWL 264

$6.65 COP 20.5K

49.17%

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

$231 ZWL 6,168

$803 COP 2.5M

-71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-61.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 572

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-75.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.53 ZWL 307

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-80.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

$139 COP 427.5K

-67.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

$102 COP 314.0K

-43.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,646

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-83.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,915

$653 COP 2.0M

-83.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,514

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-69.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-49.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

18.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,045

$655 COP 2.0M

-53.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

37.11%

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

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Bulawayo versus $1,071 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 117% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $300 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bulawayo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 120%, 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 $1,121 per month in Bulawayo and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Bulawayo and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 163% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. 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.