Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbabane and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbabane and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $767 per month in Mbabane vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,234 per month in Mbabane vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,700 per month in Mbabane vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Mbabane is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mbabane sits 44% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.58 SZL 172

$8.02 COP 25.3K

31.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.00 SZL 568

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-26.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 SZL 97.2

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-39.53%

Cappuccino

$2.65 SZL 43.12

$3.13 COP 9,873

-15.34%

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

$1.14 SZL 18.50

$1.91 COP 6,019

-40.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 SZL 10.09

$1.51 COP 4,763

-58.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 SZL 34.14

$3.12 COP 9,853

-32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SZL 39.52

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-57.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SZL 26.31

$1.44 COP 4,558

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 SZL 13.44

$2.49 COP 7,843

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 SZL 28.75

$1.77 COP 5,595

Eggs

$1.81 SZL 29.38

$2.96 COP 9,336

-38.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 SZL 180

$10.07 COP 31.8K

9.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 SZL 92.1

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-43.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 SZL 87.3

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-62.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 SZL 29.31

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-56.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 SZL 10.27

$1.61 COP 5,073

-60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 SZL 19.91

$2.25 COP 7,083

-45.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 SZL 23.61

$2.25 COP 7,104

-35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SZL 21.47

$2.04 COP 6,444

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 SZL 25.21

$1.54 COP 4,842

0.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 SZL 10.89

$1.17 COP 3,691

-42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 SZL 12.65

$1.31 COP 4,121

-40.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 SZL 45.48

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-28.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 SZL 97.0

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-57.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SZL 25.61

$1.74 COP 5,498

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SZL 26.79

$2.87 COP 9,053

-42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 SZL 12.55

$1.22 COP 3,834

-36.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 SZL 23.03

$2.19 COP 6,899

-35.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 SZL 50.9

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-64.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 SZL 20.15

$1.37 COP 4,306

-9.49%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$65.0 SZL 1,056

$177 COP 559.3K

-63.34%

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

$38.93 SZL 632

$13.88 COP 43.8K

180.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.13 SZL 457

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 SZL 377

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-48.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.99 SZL 48.55

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-82.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.72 SZL 60.4

$6.65 COP 21.0K

-44.06%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,504 SZL 105.6K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-29.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.52 SZL 577

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-60.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.56 SZL 253

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-73.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 SZL 1,181

$138 COP 435.9K

-47.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 SZL 885

$102 COP 322.1K

-46.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 SZL 4,495

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-73.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 SZL 2,915

$663 COP 2.1M

-72.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SZL 7,564

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-75.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 SZL 5,742

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-65.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$484 SZL 7,860

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-88.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$374 SZL 6,081

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-77.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.25

10.94

-33.73%

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

Last update for Mbabane: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Mbabane versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Mbabane versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $305 – making Mbabane 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

Mbabane vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 119% more than Mbabane, 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 $1,151 per month in Mbabane and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbabane, 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 $767 in Mbabane and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 66% 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 Mbabane, where all-in costs run around $767, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Mbabane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mbabane costs $767 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mbabane. 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.