Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chinhoyi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chinhoyi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $657 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,026 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,396 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 57% more expensive than Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Chinhoyi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.06 ZWL 52.1

187.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$51.0 ZWL 1,290

-35.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.40 ZWL 111

63.64%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.99 ZWL 25.01

71.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.34 ZWL 8.61

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.24 ZWL 6.03

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.02 ZWL 25.74

63.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.95 ZWL 49.29

58.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.47 ZWL 37.21

-27.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.82 ZWL 20.82

52.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.66 ZWL 42.08

-16.27%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.15 ZWL 54.4

5.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.78 ZWL 273

-59.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.92 ZWL 73.9

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.10 ZWL 104

115.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.98 ZWL 24.79

128.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.02 ZWL 25.92

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.97 ZWL 24.56

57.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.98 ZWL 24.72

39.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.02 ZWL 25.88

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.97 ZWL 24.56

15.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.52 ZWL 13.11

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.77 ZWL 19.57

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.13 ZWL 28.63

106.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.92 ZWL 175

60.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.48 ZWL 12.04

147.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.02 ZWL 25.70

132.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.97 ZWL 24.58

-18.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$29.76 ZWL 753

38.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.07 ZWL 103

-64.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.02 ZWL 51.2

-5.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.03 ZWL 127

59.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.43 ZWL 36.26

-34.27%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.2K ZWL 511.7K

-11.38%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$23.8K ZWL 602.5K

12.50%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$40.71 ZWL 1,030

106.24%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.57 ZWL 445

-45.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$89.4 ZWL 2,261

-72.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.19 ZWL 258

-61.53%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$279 ZWL 7,063

9.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,438 ZWL 188.2K

-20.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$19.75 ZWL 500

193.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$20.96 ZWL 530

51.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$34.06 ZWL 862

193.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$40.40 ZWL 1,022

165.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$183 ZWL 4,640

100.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$300 ZWL 7,597

138.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$201 ZWL 5,080

171.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.31

0.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 172% 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 $51.0 in Chinhoyi. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $152, with Chinhoyi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chinhoyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Chinhoyi differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $657 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 172% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Chinhoyi – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $657 in Chinhoyi – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $657 in Chinhoyi versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chinhoyi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chinhoyi 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 Chinhoyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.