Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Blantyre Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Blantyre

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $747 in Blantyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,183 in Blantyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,618 in Blantyre.

Living in Medellin is roughly 38% more expensive than in Blantyre, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Blantyre 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.01 MWK 8,598

22.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.89 MWK 25.6K

118.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.88 MWK 15.2K

-17.34%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.61 MWK 4,490

-34.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.85 MWK 1,456

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.53 MWK 910

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.19 MWK 2,041

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.94 MWK 5,046

7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.94 MWK 1,615

11.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.24 MWK 2,133

4.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.98 MWK 3,391

-29.29%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.75 MWK 3,010

23.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.65 MWK 6,270

20.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.51 MWK 9,453

6.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.24 MWK 10.7K

38.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.14 MWK 3,681

6.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.37 MWK 4,061

-53.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.39 MWK 4,107

-35.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.10 MWK 1,884

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.36 MWK 2,343

-16.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.31 MWK 2,258

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.31 MWK 526

174.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.84 MWK 1,435

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.30 MWK 3,954

1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.74 MWK 18.4K

15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.91 MWK 1,563

31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.64 MWK 2,816

51.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.88 MWK 1,515

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.61 MWK 1,039

132.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.50 MWK 4,287

-23.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.07 MWK 10.4K

26.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.59 MWK 2,739

-37.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$34.8K MWK 59.7M

-48.14%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$39.5K MWK 67.9M

-32.66%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$37.42 MWK 64.3K

115.95%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.14 MWK 14.0K

22.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$148 MWK 253.8K

-83.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$60.0 MWK 103.0K

-58.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.60 MWK 25.1K

31.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$361 MWK 619.1K

-15.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$597 MWK 1.0M

915.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.00 MWK 77.3K

29.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.22 MWK 58.8K

-5.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$59.1 MWK 101.5K

70.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.3 MWK 118.9K

55.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$200 MWK 343.2K

138.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$89.3 MWK 153.3K

321.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$542 MWK 931.4K

55.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$353 MWK 606.9K

106.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$400 MWK 686.8K

243.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$339 MWK 582.7K

81.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $200 in Blantyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 82% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $15.00 in Blantyre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $181 per month, with Blantyre 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 Blantyre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Blantyre differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $747 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 82% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $200 in Blantyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $747 in Blantyre – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $747 in Blantyre versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Blantyre but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Blantyre 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 Blantyre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.