Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bagamoyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bagamoyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $432 in Bagamoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $710 in Bagamoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $988 in Bagamoyo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 135% more expensive than Bagamoyo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bagamoyo 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.96 TZS 5,061

205.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$11.57 TZS 29.8K

184.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.68 TZS 19.8K

-7.68%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.95 TZS 5,028

-12.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.36 TZS 932

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.20 TZS 506

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.04 TZS 2,690

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.90 TZS 4,905

61.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.76 TZS 1,952

43.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.76 TZS 1,963

65.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.41 TZS 1,055

236.59%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.06 TZS 5,323

6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.70 TZS 25.0K

-54.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.87 TZS 15.1K

-4.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$4.15 TZS 10.7K

114.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.63 TZS 6,794

-11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.99 TZS 2,555

7.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.01 TZS 2,616

48.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.56 TZS 1,437

146.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.32 TZS 828

259.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.32 TZS 837

262.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.85 TZS 2,194

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.41 TZS 1,055

104.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.06 TZS 5,322

10.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.09 TZS 18.3K

50.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.96 TZS 2,483

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.67 TZS 4,312

47.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.47 TZS 3,803

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.12 TZS 2,887

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.69 TZS 35.3K

-43.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.24 TZS 3,203

-23.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$17.1K TZS 44.0M

6.31%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$17.3K TZS 44.6M

53.15%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$97.4 TZS 251.1K

-15.53%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.77 TZS 12.3K

99.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$23.11 TZS 59.6K

4.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.86 TZS 12.5K

-19.14%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$252 TZS 650.1K

22.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$19.5K TZS 50.2M

-69.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$25.98 TZS 67.0K

125.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$41.99 TZS 108.3K

-22.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$46.51 TZS 119.9K

120.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$42.78 TZS 110.3K

153.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$57.9 TZS 149.3K

722.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$231 TZS 596.8K

262.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$116 TZS 298.1K

526.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

19.67

-31.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bagamoyo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $57.9 in Bagamoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Bagamoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $154 per month, with Bagamoyo 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

Medellin vs Bagamoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bagamoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bagamoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $648 in Bagamoyo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $57.9 in Bagamoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $252 in Bagamoyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bagamoyo – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $432 in Bagamoyo versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bagamoyo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bagamoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bagamoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $432 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bagamoyo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bagamoyo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bagamoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.