Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulawayo: $747 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Bulawayo
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Bulawayo Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Bulawayo

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$747

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bulawayo and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bulawayo and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Bulawayo $747
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,194 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Bulawayo $1,194
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Bulawayo vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Bulawayo $1,642
Medellin $3,186

Bulawayo is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Bulawayo sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ZWL 116

$8.09 COP 25.4K

-45.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.90 ZWL 795

$47.05 COP 148.0K

-36.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$9.50 COP 29.9K

-46.32%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ZWL 56.8

$3.01 COP 9,485

-28.90%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.79

$1.80 COP 5,660

-71.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZWL 9.59

$1.41 COP 4,443

-74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ZWL 38.92

$3.18 COP 9,990

-54.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ZWL 52.3

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-65.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.27

$1.51 COP 4,751

7.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.05

$2.38 COP 7,480

-58.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.16

$1.77 COP 5,573

-12.43%

Eggs

$1.86 ZWL 49.36

$2.89 COP 9,093

-35.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 ZWL 250

$10.19 COP 32.1K

-7.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ZWL 102

$9.87 COP 31.1K

-61.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.60 ZWL 122

$13.99 COP 44.0K

-67.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 47.79

$3.97 COP 12.5K

-54.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.15

$1.55 COP 4,883

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ZWL 63.8

$2.18 COP 6,867

10.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ZWL 27.65

$2.18 COP 6,870

-52.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ZWL 33.50

$1.96 COP 6,174

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.16

$1.59 COP 5,000

-9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.27

$1.15 COP 3,604

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 20.45

$1.24 COP 3,911

-37.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ZWL 40.16

$3.96 COP 12.5K

-61.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 ZWL 133

$13.68 COP 43.0K

-63.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ZWL 36.09

$1.66 COP 5,221

-18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ZWL 48.67

$2.26 COP 7,103

-19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ZWL 19.06

$1.17 COP 3,674

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.51 ZWL 784

$77.4 COP 243.4K

-61.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ZWL 81.2

$1.27 COP 3,989

140.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.6

$2.05 COP 6,442

-3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

$8.55 COP 26.9K

-41.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ZWL 44.95

$1.35 COP 4,237

25.19%

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

$25.1K ZWL 667.3K

$34.1K COP 107.2M

-26.28%

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

$25.4K ZWL 674.8K

$34.7K COP 109.1M

-26.75%

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

$93.0 ZWL 2,472

$170 COP 533.7K

-45.16%

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

$17.52 ZWL 466

$13.55 COP 42.6K

29.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 ZWL 2,831

$28.07 COP 88.3K

279.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.99 ZWL 823

$43.70 COP 137.5K

-29.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.38 ZWL 542

$17.19 COP 54.1K

18.56%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 ZWL 268

$6.91 COP 21.7K

46.02%

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

$228 ZWL 6,051

$797 COP 2.5M

-71.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,484 ZWL 92.6K

$9,112 COP 28.7M

-61.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.95 ZWL 557

$84.7 COP 266.5K

-75.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.80 ZWL 314

$58.0 COP 182.3K

-79.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.98 ZWL 1,248

$135 COP 424.6K

-65.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ZWL 1,536

$97.9 COP 307.9K

-40.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 ZWL 4,573

$1,208 COP 3.8M

-85.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 ZWL 2,803

$642 COP 2.0M

-83.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 ZWL 10.8K

$2,028 COP 6.4M

-79.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ZWL 8,574

$1,012 COP 3.2M

-68.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 ZWL 54.8K

$4,170 COP 13.1M

-50.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,031 ZWL 54.0K

$1,910 COP 6.0M

6.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 ZWL 8,056

$657 COP 2.1M

-53.86%

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: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bulawayo

$217 29.1%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 2.7% $5.8

Groceries & Markets

Bulawayo

$175 23.4%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 69.9% $122

Accommodation & Living

Bulawayo

$106 14.1%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 508% $536

Eating Out

Bulawayo

$91 12.2%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 87% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Bulawayo

$62 8.3%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 173% $107

Sport & Entertainment

Bulawayo

$51 6.9%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 12.4% $6.4

Getting Around

Bulawayo

$45 6.1%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 106% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $172 in Bulawayo versus $1,208 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 in Medellin are about 2.2 times higher, 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 in Bulawayo versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $297 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇼 Bulawayo

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

19:46 7:46 PM

12:46 12:46 PM

7 h behind Bulawayo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

653,337

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZWL = 3.76 USD

100 ZWL = 3.38 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.18 USD

10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ZWL – Zimbabwean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇼 Zimbabwean Dollar ($)

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 26.57 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.76 USD). 1 EUR = 29.58 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.38 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

USD to ZWL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bulawayo Medellin 11,730 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Bulawayo
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,120 per month in Bulawayo and $2,459 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $172 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Bulawayo and $1,639 in Medellin. That’s a gap of about 120%.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Medellin at $1,639. 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.