Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabwe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabwe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $579 per month in Kabwe vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $932 per month in Kabwe vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,286 per month in Kabwe vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Kabwe is about 66% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Kabwe sits 58% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 113

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-28.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.62 ZMW 620

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-33.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ZMW 99.4

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-48.74%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ZMW 56.8

$3.13 COP 9,937

-7.35%

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

$0.79 ZMW 15.56

$1.91 COP 6,058

-58.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.91

$1.51 COP 4,794

-66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ZMW 25.63

$3.12 COP 9,917

-58.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ZMW 46.73

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-58.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 34.10

$1.44 COP 4,587

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 24.59

$2.49 COP 7,894

-49.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ZMW 41.11

$1.77 COP 5,631

18.64%

Eggs

$1.20 ZMW 23.44

$2.96 COP 9,396

-59.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 ZMW 210

$10.07 COP 32.0K

6.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 ZMW 130

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-34.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ZMW 128

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-54.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ZMW 66.3

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-18.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ZMW 20.65

$1.61 COP 5,106

-34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 ZMW 71.5

$2.25 COP 7,129

62.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ZMW 31.81

$2.25 COP 7,150

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 ZMW 52.8

$2.04 COP 6,486

32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ZMW 37.31

$1.54 COP 4,873

23.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ZMW 22.34

$1.17 COP 3,715

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ZMW 16.05

$1.31 COP 4,148

-37.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ZMW 61.4

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 ZMW 200

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ZMW 28.52

$1.74 COP 5,534

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ZMW 45.76

$2.87 COP 9,112

-18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ZMW 49.52

$1.31 COP 4,155

93.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 ZMW 29.81

$2.19 COP 6,944

-30.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 ZMW 104

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-39.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ZMW 27.42

$1.37 COP 4,334

2.19%

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

$7,757 ZMW 152.0K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-72.13%

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

$27.7K ZMW 542.3K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-22.66%

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

$82.0 ZMW 1,608

$177 COP 562.9K

-53.74%

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

$10.60 ZMW 208

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-23.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 ZMW 1,121

$29.72 COP 94.4K

92.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 ZMW 120

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-7.82%

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

$140 ZMW 2,742

$813 COP 2.6M

-82.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ZMW 330.7K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

83.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.73 ZMW 465

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-73.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.98 ZMW 313

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-72.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.64 ZMW 894

$138 COP 438.8K

-66.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 ZMW 1,446

$102 COP 324.2K

-27.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

165.08%

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

Last update for Kabwe: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Kabwe versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $305 – making Kabwe 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

Kabwe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 190% more than Kabwe, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $869 per month in Kabwe and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Kabwe and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kabwe, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Kabwe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kabwe costs $579 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kabwe. 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.