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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $784 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,259 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,734 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Bulawayo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.39 ZWL 117

34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$29.52 ZWL 789

11.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.34 ZWL 143

39.14%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.32 ZWL 62.0

-28.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.48 ZWL 12.88

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.43 ZWL 11.49

81.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.80 ZWL 48.01

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.47 ZWL 66.0

28.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.56 ZWL 41.80

-29.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.00 ZWL 26.81

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.78 ZWL 47.60

-22.47%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.75 ZWL 46.85

24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$10.45 ZWL 279

-57.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.84 ZWL 103

50.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$4.42 ZWL 118

102.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.46 ZWL 39.11

58.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.47 ZWL 39.32

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$2.23 ZWL 59.6

-31.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.12 ZWL 29.90

21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.15 ZWL 30.70

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.36 ZWL 36.29

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.98 ZWL 26.06

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.54 ZWL 41.02

44.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$5.07 ZWL 135

139.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.53 ZWL 41.00

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.19 ZWL 58.5

13.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.51 ZWL 13.68

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$30.34 ZWL 811

37.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

-53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

-12.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$4.96 ZWL 133

59.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.66 ZWL 44.42

-40.36%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$72.5 ZWL 1,936

14.56%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$18.00 ZWL 481

-46.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$135 ZWL 3,618

-82.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$24.96 ZWL 667

1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$10.17 ZWL 272

-61.16%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$140 ZWL 3,734

125.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$21.40 ZWL 572

180.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$13.10 ZWL 350

142.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$69.7 ZWL 1,862

45.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$55.3 ZWL 1,478

94.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$183 ZWL 4,881

159.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$109 ZWL 2,904

244.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$473 ZWL 12.6K

79.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$420 ZWL 11.2K

71.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$2,089 ZWL 55.8K

56.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$2,041 ZWL 54.5K

-29.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$294 ZWL 7,865

112.15%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $183 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 112% 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: $193 vs $179 – 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 28%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,176 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $784 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $784, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.