Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gweru

For one person, living is cheaper in Gweru: $602 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Gweru, Zimbabwe
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Gweru
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
$602
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Gweru

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Gweru actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $602 in Gweru, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Gweru $602

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $1,080 in Gweru, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Gweru $1,080

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $1,557 in Gweru, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Gweru $1,557

Medellin costs about 181% more than Gweru, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Gweru is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$3.79 ZWL 101
120.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.1K
$45.06 ZWL 1,197
3.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.5K
$5.66 ZWL 150
67.31%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$2.97 ZWL 79.0
5.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,696
$0.48 ZWL 12.86
268.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,594
$0.41 ZWL 11.00
246.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$1.28 ZWL 34.07
146.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$1.67 ZWL 44.46
241.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,943
$1.53 ZWL 40.60
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,389
$1.01 ZWL 26.83
126.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,273
$1.61 ZWL 42.79
20.50%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,889
$1.93 ZWL 51.2
59.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.2K
$11.52 ZWL 306
-13.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$3.90 ZWL 104
167.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.0K
$5.34 ZWL 142
161.42%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$1.98 ZWL 52.5
104.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,929
$1.62 ZWL 43.07
-5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,786
$2.02 ZWL 53.7
3.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$0.99 ZWL 26.22
131.31%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,803
$1.75 ZWL 46.35
20.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,512
$1.01 ZWL 26.84
69.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,774
$1.32 ZWL 35.08
-11.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,096
$0.92 ZWL 24.53
71.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$1.74 ZWL 46.16
124.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
$8.16 ZWL 217
72.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,682
$1.41 ZWL 37.57
24.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,746
$1.78 ZWL 47.24
52.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,805
$0.48 ZWL 12.62
145.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,827
$3.93 ZWL 104
-53.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,867
$0.87 ZWL 23.07
144.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$5.12 ZWL 136
58.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,113
$1.59 ZWL 42.31
-19.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.1M
$21.9K ZWL 581.5K
57.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.1M
$27.9K ZWL 740.2K
22.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.2K
$29.63 ZWL 787
499.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$17.19 ZWL 457
-19.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.1K
$72.8 ZWL 1,933
-57.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.3K
$39.66 ZWL 1,053
5.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
$1.99 ZWL 52.8
744.22%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$10.10 ZWL 268
-26.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$247 ZWL 6,571
219.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$5,713 ZWL 151.7K
115.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.4K
$21.74 ZWL 577
297.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.1K
$20.03 ZWL 532
195.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.2K
$36.69 ZWL 975
277.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 318.7K
$40.87 ZWL 1,085
141.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$148 ZWL 3,926
807.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$69.5 ZWL 1,846
859.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$557 ZWL 14.8K
254.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$305 ZWL 8,098
238.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Gweru
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$246 ZWL 6,532
162.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
7
56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Gweru: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Gweru
$70 89.6% $598
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Gweru
$193 37.3% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Gweru
$120 46.2% $103
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Gweru
$96 44.2% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Gweru
$54 68.8% $119
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Gweru
$10 * 89.1% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Gweru
$60 5.2% $3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $148 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 in Medellin are about 2.6 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $45 in Gweru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $193 – making Gweru the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇿🇼 Gweru
🕒 Local time
00:12 12:12 AM
07:12 7:12 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
141,260
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZWL, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 26.56 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.77 USD). 1 EUR = 29.9 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Gweru 11,850 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Gweru

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Medellin and in Gweru compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,692 in Medellin, $602 in Gweru – Gweru comes out roughly 64% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Gweru?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $903 in Gweru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Gweru?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gweru, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $148 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Gweru?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $602 in Gweru. That makes Gweru about 64% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Gweru?
Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $247 in Gweru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Gweru, where all-in costs run around $602, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Gweru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Medellin or Gweru?
Families tend to lean toward Gweru – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Medellin and Gweru?
If budget matters most, go with Gweru. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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