Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $855 in Lusaka versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Lusaka versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,045 in Lusaka versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 17% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 36% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ZMW 128

$6.16 COP 20.1K

13.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.68 ZMW 449

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-24.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-49.59%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

$1.72 COP 5,599

12.21%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

$1.05 COP 3,420

-36.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

$0.77 COP 2,515

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

$1.69 COP 5,487

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-41.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

$1.05 COP 3,423

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

$1.30 COP 4,236

-38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

$1.40 COP 4,544

12.86%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

$2.16 COP 7,046

-18.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

$4.39 COP 14.3K

80.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-35.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-45.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

$2.28 COP 7,425

12.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

$1.11 COP 3,603

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

$1.53 COP 4,982

77.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

$1.35 COP 4,410

-14.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

$1.13 COP 3,674

59.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

$1.13 COP 3,692

17.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$0.85 COP 2,753

8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

$0.91 COP 2,975

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

$2.34 COP 7,629

8.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 ZMW 194

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

$1.20 COP 3,909

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

$2.49 COP 8,104

-36.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

$0.84 COP 2,727

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-3.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

$1.42 COP 4,623

95.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

$1.92 COP 6,235

-39.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

$7.66 COP 24.9K

20.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

$0.99 COP 3,223

20.20%

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-56.23%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

6.77%

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

$80.8 COP 263.1K

12.25%

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

$9.95 COP 32.4K

436.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

$24.18 COP 78.7K

408.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

$25.08 COP 81.6K

81.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-28.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

$3.98 COP 13.0K

6.78%

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

$305 COP 993.4K

-41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

56.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-67.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-46.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

$101 COP 327.9K

-16.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

$108 COP 350.8K

-32.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

$477 COP 1.6M

-52.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

$376 COP 1.2M

-66.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

21.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-18.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-41.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

933.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

$617 COP 2.0M

-53.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

86.15%

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

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $228 in Lusaka and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 115% 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: $25.00 in Lusaka vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $193 per month, with Lusaka cheaper across the board.

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 21% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $1,031 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 115% 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: $228 in Lusaka versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Lusaka versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 4% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Lusaka versus $1,031 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 21% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.