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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $768 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ZWL 122

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ZWL 802

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-10.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ZWL 150

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-22.68%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

$1.63 COP 5,687

42.94%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

$1.09 COP 3,821

-52.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

$0.73 COP 2,548

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

$1.74 COP 6,065

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-24.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

$1.05 COP 3,662

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

$1.29 COP 4,515

-22.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

$1.32 COP 4,617

36.36%

Eggs

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$2.27 COP 7,927

-23.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ZWL 278

$4.35 COP 15.2K

139.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-32.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 ZWL 119

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-48.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

$2.25 COP 7,844

-32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

$1.07 COP 3,733

42.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

$1.52 COP 5,322

52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

$1.42 COP 4,964

-23.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

$1.17 COP 4,084

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

$1.17 COP 4,077

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

$0.89 COP 3,096

13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

$0.90 COP 3,146

12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

$2.25 COP 7,837

-32.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ZWL 137

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-53.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

$1.14 COP 3,977

35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

$2.38 COP 8,301

-10.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

$0.84 COP 2,916

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ZWL 788

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-29.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

$1.41 COP 4,912

110.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

$1.90 COP 6,634

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-34.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

$1.01 COP 3,509

67.33%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-16.05%

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

$18.25 ZWL 488

$9.45 COP 33.0K

93.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,579

$24.11 COP 84.1K

454.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.90 ZWL 667

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-1.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 266

$4.10 COP 14.3K

142.20%

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

$139 ZWL 3,728

$312 COP 1.1M

-55.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.94 ZWL 587

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-62.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.26 ZWL 355

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-59.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-30.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

$109 COP 378.8K

-48.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 ZWL 4,981

$482 COP 1.7M

-61.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 3,000

$379 COP 1.3M

-70.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

-43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ZWL 11.0K

$723 COP 2.5M

-43.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,131 ZWL 57.0K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-24.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ZWL 54.7K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

67.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZWL 7,914

$541 COP 1.9M

-45.34%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Bulawayo versus $482 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 83% 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: $180 vs $190 – 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 32%, 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 $1,152 per month in Bulawayo and $1,525 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 $768 in Bulawayo and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% 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 $768, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.