Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gweru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gweru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $600 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,064 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,528 in Gweru, rent included.

Medellin costs about 180% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Gweru is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.5K

$3.71 ZWL 98.7

116.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$39.57 ZWL 1,055

20.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$6.13 ZWL 163

61.34%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,941

$2.86 ZWL 76.3

9.44%

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

$1.91 COP 6,061

$0.49 ZWL 12.96

289.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,796

$0.38 ZWL 10.22

297.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,921

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

143.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.74 ZWL 46.24

230.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,590

$1.47 ZWL 39.09

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,898

$1.03 ZWL 27.40

141.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,634

$1.70 ZWL 45.30

4.12%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,400

$1.93 ZWL 51.4

53.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$11.92 ZWL 318

-15.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.87 ZWL 103

161.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$5.35 ZWL 142

167.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

110.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,109

$1.63 ZWL 43.40

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,132

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,154

$0.97 ZWL 25.88

131.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,489

$1.64 ZWL 43.73

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,876

$0.97 ZWL 25.98

58.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,716

$1.20 ZWL 32.06

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,150

$1.01 ZWL 26.95

29.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.85 ZWL 236

58.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,536

$1.38 ZWL 36.65

26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,116

$2.03 ZWL 54.0

41.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,860

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

134.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$3.97 ZWL 106

-67.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,947

$0.86 ZWL 22.79

154.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$4.89 ZWL 130

78.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,336

$1.67 ZWL 44.45

-17.96%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.8K ZWL 580.0K

27.90%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.1K ZWL 721.4K

32.15%

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

$177 COP 563.1K

$29.78 ZWL 794

495.37%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.05 ZWL 454

-18.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$65.8 ZWL 1,754

-54.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.6K

$39.36 ZWL 1,049

14.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

773.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$9.89 ZWL 263

-32.76%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$250 ZWL 6,660

225.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$5,889 ZWL 156.9K

56.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.3K

$24.18 ZWL 644

270.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.3K

$20.27 ZWL 540

190.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 439.0K

$39.75 ZWL 1,059

247.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.4K

$41.12 ZWL 1,096

148.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$152 ZWL 4,058

597.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$68.7 ZWL 1,832

864.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$546 ZWL 14.6K

245.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$302 ZWL 8,052

239.94%

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

$249 ZWL 6,641

171.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gweru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $152 in Gweru. 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 172% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Gweru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $195 – making Gweru 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 Gweru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $600 in Gweru – roughly 180% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $900 in Gweru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gweru, 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $600 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $250 in Gweru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gweru, where all-in costs run around $600, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Gweru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $600 in Gweru to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Gweru. 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.