Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzini and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzini and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $355 per month in Manzini vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $527 per month in Manzini vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $698 per month in Manzini vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Manzini is about 78% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Manzini sits 74% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 SZL 20.95

$1.44 COP 4,428

-9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SZL 15.73

$2.40 COP 7,389

-59.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 SZL 29.61

$1.70 COP 5,228

8.24%

Eggs

$1.22 SZL 19.58

$2.89 COP 8,896

-57.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 SZL 121

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 SZL 50.3

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-68.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.89 SZL 30.38

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-86.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 SZL 22.99

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-64.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 SZL 9.70

$1.58 COP 4,878

-62.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 SZL 13.38

$2.15 COP 6,624

-61.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 SZL 7.86

$2.30 COP 7,078

-78.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 SZL 9.58

$2.00 COP 6,169

-70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 SZL 7.73

$1.51 COP 4,646

-68.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 SZL 6.71

$1.20 COP 3,701

-65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SZL 11.20

$1.28 COP 3,946

-45.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 SZL 48.88

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-20.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.26 SZL 52.4

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-76.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SZL 9.69

$1.71 COP 5,256

-64.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 SZL 12.57

$2.74 COP 8,440

-71.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 SZL 10.19

$1.25 COP 3,834

-49.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 SZL 21.64

$1.36 COP 4,172

-1.47%

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

$17.5K SZL 281.7K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-36.26%

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

$16.3K SZL 262.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-55.37%

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

$74.0 SZL 1,190

$169 COP 519.2K

-56.17%

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

$12.63 SZL 203

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.77 SZL 495

$28.32 COP 87.2K

8.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 SZL 58.5

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-45.26%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 SZL 2,782

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-83.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 SZL 1,717

$653 COP 2.0M

-83.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 SZL 5,945

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-80.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 SZL 4,486

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-73.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$399 SZL 6,420

$655 COP 2.0M

-39.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.59%

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

Last update for Manzini: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $173 in Manzini versus $1,071 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 64% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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

Manzini vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 362% more than Manzini, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $533 per month in Manzini and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manzini, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $355 in Manzini and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 152% 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 Manzini, where all-in costs run around $355, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Manzini it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manzini costs $355 versus $1,641 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 Manzini. 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.