Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabwe and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kabwe: $556 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kabwe, Zambia
Medellin, Colombia
Kabwe
🇿🇲 Zambia
$556
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kabwe 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 Kabwe and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $556 per month in Kabwe vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Kabwe $556
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $884 per month in Kabwe vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Kabwe $884
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,213 per month in Kabwe vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Kabwe $1,213
  • Medellin $3,249

Kabwe is about 67% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Kabwe sits 59% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.44 ZMW 110
$8.34 COP 26.9K
-34.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.24 ZMW 592
$46.53 COP 150.2K
-37.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.83 ZMW 97.8
$9.47 COP 30.6K
-49.00%
Cappuccino
$2.84 ZMW 57.4
$3.13 COP 10.1K
-9.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ZMW 15.19
$1.77 COP 5,702
-57.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ZMW 9.64
$1.42 COP 4,599
-66.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.21 ZMW 24.51
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-61.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 ZMW 45.36
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-60.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ZMW 35.15
$1.53 COP 4,948
13.73%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 ZMW 23.62
$2.29 COP 7,397
-48.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.99 ZMW 40.23
$1.94 COP 6,279
2.58%
Eggs
$1.19 ZMW 24.06
$3.07 COP 9,900
-61.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 ZMW 203
$9.99 COP 32.3K
0.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.30 ZMW 128
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-39.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.60 ZMW 134
$13.96 COP 45.1K
-52.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 ZMW 68.3
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-16.79%
Banana (1kg)
$0.96 ZMW 19.45
$1.53 COP 4,934
-37.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.30 ZMW 66.9
$2.10 COP 6,794
57.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.49 ZMW 30.20
$2.29 COP 7,405
-34.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.47 ZMW 50.0
$2.11 COP 6,810
17.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 ZMW 36.75
$1.71 COP 5,518
6.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 ZMW 23.35
$1.17 COP 3,778
-1.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ZMW 15.75
$1.58 COP 5,101
-50.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.93 ZMW 59.4
$3.91 COP 12.6K
-25.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 ZMW 205
$14.04 COP 45.3K
-27.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 ZMW 28.34
$1.76 COP 5,688
-20.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 ZMW 46.49
$2.71 COP 8,756
-15.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.18 COP 3,809
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.3 COP 246.3K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.54 ZMW 51.5
$1.81 COP 5,833
40.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 ZMW 29.16
$2.13 COP 6,874
-32.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 ZMW 99.2
$8.13 COP 26.3K
-39.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 ZMW 27.72
$1.28 COP 4,117
7.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,496 ZMW 151.8K
$34.4K COP 111.2M
-78.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K ZMW 508.0K
$34.1K COP 110.2M
-26.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.7 ZMW 1,432
$178 COP 573.8K
-60.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.67 ZMW 216
$13.89 COP 44.8K
-23.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.9 ZMW 1,092
$30.74 COP 99.2K
75.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$41.94 COP 135.4K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.00 ZMW 121
$7.47 COP 24.1K
-19.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$151 ZMW 3,048
$790 COP 2.6M
-80.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.0K ZMW 404.1K
$12.3K COP 39.7M
62.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.17 ZMW 489
$86.3 COP 278.7K
-72.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.13 ZMW 347
$59.3 COP 191.3K
-71.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.38 ZMW 899
$138 COP 446.6K
-67.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.0 ZMW 1,337
$98.8 COP 319.0K
-33.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$667 COP 2.2M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kabwe
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
29
10.94
165.08%

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

Last update for Kabwe: November 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kabwe
$223
Medellin
$307 37.7% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kabwe
$135
Medellin
$222 64.3% $87
Eating Out
Kabwe
$108
Medellin
$173 60.6% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Kabwe
$68
Medellin
$172 152% $104
Sport & Entertainment
Kabwe
$12 *
Medellin
$57 374% $45
Getting Around
Kabwe
$9.7 *
Medellin
$93 860% $84
Accommodation & Living
Kabwe
- *
Medellin
$667

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Kabwe versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $307 – making Kabwe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇲 Kabwe
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
19:05 7:05 PM
12:05 12:05 PM
7 h behind Kabwe
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
117,517
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 20.25 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.94 USD). 1 EUR = 22.67 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.41 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kabwe Medellin 11,690 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kabwe
  • 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
Kabwe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kabwe or Medellin?
Medellin costs about 204% more than Kabwe, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kabwe and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $834 per month in Kabwe and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Kabwe and in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Kabwe and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Kabwe or in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 38% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Kabwe or in Medellin?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kabwe, where all-in costs run around $556, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Kabwe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Kabwe or Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $556 in Kabwe to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Kabwe vs other spots: cost of living compared

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