Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kitwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kitwe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $182 in Kitwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,209 in Kitwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,236 in Kitwe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 824% more than Kitwe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kitwe is 87% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.49 ZMW 48.76

25.70%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.58 ZMW 11.33

229.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.78 ZMW 15.22

93.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.05 ZMW 40.09

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.43 ZMW 47.62

136.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.98 ZMW 19.27

154.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.46 ZMW 48.31

58.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.17 ZMW 22.92

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.02 ZMW 20.05

181.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.46 ZMW 28.69

-6.16%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$30.3K ZMW 593.3K

18.18%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$98.6 ZMW 1,933

-69.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$14.74 ZMW 289

204.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$599 ZMW 11.7K

35.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$11.8K ZMW 230.6K

-21.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$1,200 ZMW 23.5K

-11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,536 ZMW 49.7K

-25.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$2,025 ZMW 39.7K

-49.28%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-69.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kitwe: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,200 in Kitwe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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 Kitwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $182 in Kitwe – roughly 824% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $273 in Kitwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kitwe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $599 in Kitwe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $182 in Kitwe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitwe, where all-in costs run around $182, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Kitwe 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 $182 in Kitwe to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kitwe. 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.