Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Lusaka: $872 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$872

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $872 in Lusaka versus $1,625 in Medellin.

Lusaka $872
Medellin $1,625

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,488 in Lusaka versus $2,412 in Medellin.

Lusaka $1,488
Medellin $2,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Lusaka versus $3,199 in Medellin.

Lusaka $2,103
Medellin $3,199

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 46% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lusaka is 36% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 ZMW 111

$8.30 COP 26.3K

-32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.94 ZMW 595

$46.91 COP 148.7K

-36.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ZMW 99.3

$9.24 COP 29.3K

-46.00%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ZMW 56.5

$3.05 COP 9,676

-6.89%

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

$0.77 ZMW 15.27

$1.80 COP 5,707

-57.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZMW 9.13

$1.38 COP 4,382

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ZMW 25.34

$3.24 COP 10.3K

-60.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ZMW 45.73

$5.56 COP 17.6K

-58.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ZMW 33.64

$1.50 COP 4,760

12.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ZMW 23.28

$2.37 COP 7,508

-50.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ZMW 39.99

$1.70 COP 5,377

18.24%

Eggs

$1.96 ZMW 39.04

$2.96 COP 9,379

-33.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 ZMW 209

$10.22 COP 32.4K

2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 ZMW 126

$9.74 COP 30.9K

-34.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.61 ZMW 131

$13.90 COP 44.1K

-52.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 ZMW 65.6

$4.13 COP 13.1K

-20.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ZMW 48.81

$1.53 COP 4,839

60.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 ZMW 72.8

$2.22 COP 7,052

64.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 31.27

$2.27 COP 7,194

-30.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 ZMW 50.1

$1.99 COP 6,311

26.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 ZMW 35.66

$1.67 COP 5,285

7.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ZMW 22.24

$1.18 COP 3,742

-5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ZMW 14.75

$1.24 COP 3,919

-40.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ZMW 58.5

$3.87 COP 12.3K

-24.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 ZMW 201

$13.78 COP 43.7K

-26.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ZMW 28.21

$1.66 COP 5,256

-14.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ZMW 46.18

$2.40 COP 7,615

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZMW 19.35

$1.24 COP 3,944

-21.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 ZMW 995

$78.2 COP 248.0K

-36.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ZMW 48.89

$1.28 COP 4,044

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 ZMW 30.18

$2.15 COP 6,803

-29.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 ZMW 99.2

$8.37 COP 26.5K

-40.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 ZMW 29.99

$1.35 COP 4,288

11.85%

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

$7,644 ZMW 152.0K

$34.8K COP 110.2M

-78.01%

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

$27.8K ZMW 553.6K

$34.7K COP 110.0M

-19.75%

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

$81.7 ZMW 1,626

$167 COP 528.4K

-50.96%

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

$10.28 ZMW 204

$13.62 COP 43.2K

-24.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 ZMW 1,081

$29.12 COP 92.3K

86.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 ZMW 1,096

$45.09 COP 143.0K

22.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 ZMW 303

$17.18 COP 54.5K

-11.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ZMW 120

$6.97 COP 22.1K

-13.49%

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

$139 ZMW 2,774

$790 COP 2.5M

-82.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K ZMW 328.6K

$9,041 COP 28.7M

82.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.04 ZMW 458

$87.8 COP 278.4K

-73.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.19 ZMW 302

$58.2 COP 184.4K

-73.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.38 ZMW 903

$139 COP 440.7K

-67.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ZMW 1,450

$98.9 COP 313.5K

-26.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 ZMW 7,564

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-63.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ZMW 3,513

$620 COP 2.0M

-71.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 ZMW 21.2K

$1,881 COP 6.0M

-43.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 11.8K

$1,008 COP 3.2M

-41.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,895 ZMW 37.7K

$3,988 COP 12.6M

-52.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,017 ZMW 99.8K

$1,702 COP 5.4M

194.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$316 ZMW 6,290

$663 COP 2.1M

-52.32%

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 Lusaka: October 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Lusaka

$238 27.3%

Medellin

$298 18.3% 25.4% $60

Accommodation & Living

Lusaka

$177 20.3%

Medellin

$619 38.1% 251% $443

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lusaka

$146 16.8%

Medellin

$209 12.9% 43.1% $63

Eating Out

Lusaka

$110 12.6%

Medellin

$171 10.5% 55.9% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Lusaka

$70 8.1%

Medellin

$173 10.6% 145% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Lusaka

$67 7.7%

Medellin

$59 3.6% 12.1% $8.1

Getting Around

Lusaka

$64 7.3%

Medellin

$95 5.9% 48.8% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Lusaka and $1,028 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 110% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Lusaka vs $47.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $298 per month, with Lusaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

12:50 12:50 PM

05:50 5:50 AM

7 h behind Lusaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,742,979 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZK)

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to ZMW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lusaka Medellin 11,680 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Lusaka
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

Lusaka vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Medellin differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($872 vs $1,625 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $380 in Lusaka versus $1,028 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $872 per month in Lusaka versus $1,625 in Medellin – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 56% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $872 in Lusaka versus $1,625 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lusaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.