Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gaborone Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gaborone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $820 in Gaborone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,295 in Gaborone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,770 in Gaborone.

Living in Medellin is roughly 24% more expensive than Gaborone, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Gaborone 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.44 P 97.6

-20.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$29.33 P 385

13.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.01 P 78.8

20.30%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.19 P 28.74

-25.57%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.84 P 10.96

29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.48 P 6.26

52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.20 P 28.86

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.04 P 39.84

6.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.47 P 19.30

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.85 P 11.16

51.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.82 P 23.91

-27.47%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.41 P 31.57

-5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.75 P 102

-43.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.03 P 65.9

16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.70 P 74.8

51.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.76 P 23.05

27.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.37 P 18.03

-21.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.91 P 25.08

-20.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.56 P 20.49

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.47 P 19.29

-20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.25 P 16.41

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.15 P 15.07

-22.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.93 P 12.19

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.65 P 47.83

-38.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.13 P 54.2

167.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.65 P 21.69

-30.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.18 P 28.60

9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.50 P 6.58

68.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$30.78 P 404

36.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.63 P 8.25

123.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.62 P 34.33

-27.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.91 P 38.12

166.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.13 P 14.83

-10.62%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.1K P 290.0K

-20.46%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$16.6K P 218.3K

59.21%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$69.6 P 913

20.21%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$26.66 P 350

-64.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$77.6 P 1,019

-68.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$32.42 P 425

-21.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.12 P 198

26.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.60 P 86.5

-37.88%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$181 P 2,379

72.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,802 P 49.9K

57.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$42.63 P 559

36.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.66 P 324

32.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$73.6 P 966

35.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$98.8 P 1,296

9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$238 P 3,123

102.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$144 P 1,882

164.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$530 P 6,953

58.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$340 P 4,455

112.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,041 P 26.8K

39.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,254 P 16.4K

-2.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$444 P 5,831

21.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.12

47.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gaborone: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $238 in Gaborone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 22% 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 $29.00 in Gaborone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $182 per month, with Gaborone 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 Gaborone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gaborone is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 22% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $238 in Gaborone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gaborone – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $820 in Gaborone versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gaborone but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gaborone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gaborone is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Gaborone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gaborone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.