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: $907 in Lusaka versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Lusaka versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lusaka versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 47% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lusaka is 34% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-29.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-33.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-45.65%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$2.91 COP 9,149

2.41%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$1.94 COP 6,110

-57.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$1.52 COP 4,783

-69.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$3.09 COP 9,721

-55.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-59.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.36 COP 4,287

36.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$2.39 COP 7,505

-47.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$1.70 COP 5,346

28.82%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$2.87 COP 9,021

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$9.94 COP 31.2K

8.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-39.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-54.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-13.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$1.57 COP 4,940

59.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$2.13 COP 6,682

74.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$2.21 COP 6,959

-28.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$2.05 COP 6,435

33.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$1.50 COP 4,728

31.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$1.19 COP 3,740

-3.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$1.16 COP 3,640

-28.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-17.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-27.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$1.58 COP 4,978

-6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$2.83 COP 8,889

-12.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$1.17 COP 3,672

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-33.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$1.28 COP 4,038

108.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$2.09 COP 6,576

-25.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-39.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$1.30 COP 4,080

21.54%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-71.83%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-21.99%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$176 COP 553.4K

-52.49%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$29.89 COP 94.0K

89.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$44.76 COP 140.7K

25.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-6.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$6.20 COP 19.5K

2.74%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$793 COP 2.5M

-81.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

84.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-71.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-72.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$136 COP 428.4K

-64.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$103 COP 324.1K

-25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-63.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$680 COP 2.1M

-73.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-44.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-48.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-53.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

210.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$665 COP 2.1M

-49.52%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Lusaka and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 98% 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: $32.00 in Lusaka vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $303 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 89% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $1,716 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 98% 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: $389 in Lusaka versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $907 per month in Lusaka versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 49% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $907 in Lusaka versus $1,716 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 89% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.