Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $768 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,261 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,753 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.55 ZWL 122

30.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$29.96 ZWL 802

11.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.59 ZWL 150

29.34%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

-30.04%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

109.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

31.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

29.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

-26.67%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

31.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.40 ZWL 278

-58.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.97 ZWL 106

48.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.44 ZWL 119

93.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

49.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

-2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

48.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.11 ZWL 137

116.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

12.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$29.43 ZWL 788

42.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

-52.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.04 ZWL 135

53.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

-40.24%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

19.12%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.25 ZWL 488

-48.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$134 ZWL 3,579

-81.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$24.90 ZWL 667

1.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$9.93 ZWL 266

-58.71%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$139 ZWL 3,728

123.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$21.94 ZWL 587

164.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$13.26 ZWL 355

145.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

43.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

95.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$186 ZWL 4,981

159.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$112 ZWL 3,000

238.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$473 ZWL 12.7K

77.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$411 ZWL 11.0K

75.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,131 ZWL 57.0K

33.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,044 ZWL 54.7K

-40.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$296 ZWL 7,914

82.96%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $186 in Bulawayo. 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 83% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $180 – making Bulawayo 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

Medellin vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,152 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $768 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bulawayo. 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.