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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $784 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,734 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 41% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ZWL 117

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-25.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.52 ZWL 789

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-10.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ZWL 143

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-28.13%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ZWL 62.0

$1.65 COP 5,276

40.61%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.88

$1.10 COP 3,514

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.49

$0.78 COP 2,491

-44.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 48.01

$1.72 COP 5,484

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZWL 66.0

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-22.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.80

$1.10 COP 3,521

41.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.81

$1.26 COP 4,015

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.60

$1.38 COP 4,407

28.99%

Eggs

$1.75 ZWL 46.85

$2.18 COP 6,950

-19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ZWL 279

$4.49 COP 14.3K

132.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ZWL 103

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-33.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 ZWL 118

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-50.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 ZWL 39.11

$2.32 COP 7,405

-37.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ZWL 39.32

$1.06 COP 3,397

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ZWL 59.6

$1.52 COP 4,838

46.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ZWL 29.90

$1.36 COP 4,327

-17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.70

$1.13 COP 3,599

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.29

$1.17 COP 3,738

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.06

$0.90 COP 2,876

8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

$0.90 COP 2,861

12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.02

$2.23 COP 7,128

-30.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-58.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 41.00

$1.19 COP 3,793

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ZWL 58.5

$2.48 COP 7,920

-11.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.68

$0.85 COP 2,723

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 ZWL 811

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-27.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$1.42 COP 4,518

116.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

$1.95 COP 6,223

14.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ZWL 133

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-37.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.42

$0.99 COP 3,160

67.68%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,936

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-12.71%

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

$18.00 ZWL 481

$9.70 COP 30.9K

85.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$135 ZWL 3,618

$23.52 COP 75.0K

475.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 ZWL 667

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-1.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ZWL 272

$3.95 COP 12.6K

157.47%

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

$140 ZWL 3,734

$316 COP 1.0M

-55.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.40 ZWL 572

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-64.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.10 ZWL 350

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-58.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ZWL 1,862

$102 COP 324.4K

-31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ZWL 1,478

$107 COP 342.8K

-48.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZWL 4,881

$475 COP 1.5M

-61.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,904

$374 COP 1.2M

-70.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.6K

$849 COP 2.7M

-44.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ZWL 11.2K

$719 COP 2.3M

-41.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 ZWL 55.8K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-36.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,041 ZWL 54.5K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

41.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ZWL 7,865

$624 COP 2.0M

-52.86%

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 Bulawayo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $183 in Bulawayo versus $475 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 112% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $193 – 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 28%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,176 per month in Bulawayo and $1,504 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 $784 in Bulawayo and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $784, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.