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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $630 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,001 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,373 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 167% more expensive than in Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Chinhoyi is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.5K

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

309.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$39.98 ZWL 1,065

19.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$4.43 ZWL 118

123.25%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,941

$0.99 ZWL 26.27

216.16%

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

$1.91 COP 6,061

$0.35 ZWL 9.21

445.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,796

$0.24 ZWL 6.39

529.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,921

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

218.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

184.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,590

$1.47 ZWL 39.18

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,898

$0.86 ZWL 22.97

189.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,634

$1.63 ZWL 43.35

8.59%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,400

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

52.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$12.13 ZWL 323

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

239.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$4.05 ZWL 108

253.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

305.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,109

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

65.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,132

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

131.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,154

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

127.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,489

$0.97 ZWL 25.97

110.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,876

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

58.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,716

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

138.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,150

$0.77 ZWL 20.44

70.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

95.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.01 ZWL 187

99.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,536

$0.52 ZWL 13.90

234.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,116

$0.98 ZWL 26.13

192.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,860

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

24.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

$30.47 ZWL 812

164.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$3.91 ZWL 104

-66.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,947

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

7.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$5.02 ZWL 134

73.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,336

$1.40 ZWL 37.34

-2.14%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$22.2K ZWL 591.3K

25.45%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.1K ZWL 723.0K

31.86%

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

$177 COP 563.1K

$40.57 ZWL 1,081

337.02%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$19.88 ZWL 530

-30.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$68.1 ZWL 1,815

-56.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$10.09 ZWL 269

-34.09%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$457 ZWL 12.2K

77.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$8,890 ZWL 236.9K

3.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.3K

$24.34 ZWL 649

267.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.3K

$21.44 ZWL 571

175.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 439.0K

$39.49 ZWL 1,053

249.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.4K

$42.30 ZWL 1,127

141.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$180 ZWL 4,808

267.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$296 ZWL 7,895

246.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$198 ZWL 5,280

242.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.69

-20.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 242% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $40.00 in Chinhoyi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $155 per month, with Chinhoyi 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 Chinhoyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Chinhoyi differ by about 167% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $630 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 242% higher in Medellin, 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 $40.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $630 in Chinhoyi – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Chinhoyi versus $1,681 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 167% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.