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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $759 in Blantyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,198 in Blantyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,637 in Blantyre.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than Blantyre, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Blantyre 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.83 MWK 8,288

24.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$14.77 MWK 25.4K

122.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.16 MWK 15.7K

-22.60%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.63 MWK 4,509

-34.98%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.81 MWK 1,385

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.49 MWK 849

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.19 MWK 2,044

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.85 MWK 4,896

7.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.96 MWK 1,651

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.30 MWK 2,237

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.04 MWK 3,507

-32.35%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.75 MWK 3,010

25.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.49 MWK 6,000

26.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.57 MWK 9,567

1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.09 MWK 10.4K

45.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.27 MWK 3,903

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.33 MWK 4,000

-54.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.50 MWK 4,287

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.06 MWK 1,827

30.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.30 MWK 2,234

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.33 MWK 2,277

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.33 MWK 567

169.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.81 MWK 1,394

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.35 MWK 4,039

-2.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.81 MWK 18.6K

-1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.96 MWK 1,640

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.65 MWK 2,830

49.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.84 MWK 1,438

2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.57 MWK 979

157.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.37 MWK 4,072

-17.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.25 MWK 10.7K

23.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.55 MWK 2,659

-38.71%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$35.6K MWK 61.1M

-49.02%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$39.6K MWK 68.0M

-33.13%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$38.46 MWK 66.0K

113.86%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.76 MWK 13.3K

22.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$146 MWK 250.2K

-83.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$59.6 MWK 102.3K

-56.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$14.88 MWK 25.6K

27.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$355 MWK 610.0K

-12.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$597 MWK 1.0M

899.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$45.54 MWK 78.2K

28.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.28 MWK 60.6K

-8.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$57.7 MWK 99.1K

77.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$70.9 MWK 121.7K

52.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$205 MWK 351.9K

132.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$91.6 MWK 157.3K

313.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$556 MWK 955.0K

50.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$348 MWK 598.0K

107.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$396 MWK 680.6K

205.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$338 MWK 580.6K

51.36%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Blantyre: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $205 in Blantyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 51% 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 $188 vs $182 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $759 including rent). Blantyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 51% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $205 in Blantyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $759 in Blantyre – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $759 in Blantyre versus $1,013 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.