Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marondera

For one person, living is cheaper in Marondera: $764 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Marondera, Zimbabwe
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Marondera
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
$764
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Marondera

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 Marondera actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $764 in Marondera.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Marondera $764

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $1,157 in Marondera.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Marondera $1,157

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $1,550 in Marondera.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Marondera $1,550

Living in Medellin is roughly 122% more expensive than in Marondera, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Marondera is 43% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.8K
$5.09 ZWL 135
63.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 149.7K
$44.18 ZWL 1,172
5.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.5K
$5.53 ZWL 147
71.25%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$2.05 ZWL 54.3
52.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,681
$0.89 ZWL 23.65
98.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,582
$0.42 ZWL 11.13
238.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.1K
$1.26 ZWL 33.51
150.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.3K
$2.04 ZWL 54.1
179.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,930
$0.99 ZWL 26.16
54.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,370
$1.02 ZWL 27.04
124.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,257
$1.02 ZWL 27.16
90.20%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,864
$2.03 ZWL 54.0
51.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.1K
$9.85 ZWL 261
1.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.6K
$5.02 ZWL 133
108.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 44.9K
$4.88 ZWL 129
186.07%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.0K
$3.05 ZWL 80.9
32.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,916
$1.65 ZWL 43.87
-7.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,769
$1.97 ZWL 52.2
6.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,378
$1.51 ZWL 39.98
51.66%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,785
$1.74 ZWL 46.12
21.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,498
$1.58 ZWL 41.87
8.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,764
$1.35 ZWL 35.75
-13.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,083
$1.01 ZWL 26.77
56.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$1.82 ZWL 48.31
114.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.2K
$4.10 ZWL 109
242.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,667
$1.34 ZWL 35.68
31.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,724
$1.82 ZWL 48.37
48.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,795
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 245.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,812
$4.07 ZWL 108
-55.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,849
$1.98 ZWL 52.6
7.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$5.14 ZWL 136
58.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,102
$1.84 ZWL 48.91
-30.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 110.8M
$21.7K ZWL 575.1K
58.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$27.4K ZWL 728.1K
24.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 571.7K
$50.3 ZWL 1,336
253.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.7K
$21.22 ZWL 563
-34.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 98.9K
$73.1 ZWL 1,941
-57.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 134.9K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.0K
$10.16 ZWL 270
-26.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$413 ZWL 11.0K
91.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.6M
$16.9K ZWL 447.8K
-27.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 277.7K
$21.69 ZWL 576
298.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 190.6K
$19.69 ZWL 523
200.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 445.0K
$36.44 ZWL 967
279.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 317.8K
$40.44 ZWL 1,073
144.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$253 ZWL 6,706
430.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.1M
$248 ZWL 6,574
169.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$402 ZWL 10.7K
391.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$348 ZWL 9,246
196.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Marondera
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Marondera: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Marondera
$248 62.9% $419
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Marondera
$187 39.3% $121
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Marondera
$145 34.9% $78
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Marondera
$97 43.5% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Marondera
$53 69.1% $119
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Marondera
$14 * 85% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Marondera
$20 * 64.3% $37

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $253 in Marondera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $44 in Marondera for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $187 per month, with Marondera cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇿🇼 Marondera
🕒 Local time
11:22 11:22 AM
18:22 6:22 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
52,283
💱 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 = 3,217 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 26.54 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.77 USD). 1 EUR = 29.82 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.35 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Marondera 12,030 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Marondera

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 Marondera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Marondera?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $764 in Marondera, so Marondera is about 55% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Marondera?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $1,146 in Marondera to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Marondera?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $253 in Marondera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Marondera?
Childcare runs $790 in Medellin versus $413 in Marondera. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Marondera – a meal for two runs $44 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $764 in Marondera versus $1,692 in Medellin, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Marondera but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Marondera the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Marondera?
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.

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