Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mbabane Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mbabane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $728 in Mbabane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,175 in Mbabane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,622 in Mbabane, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Mbabane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mbabane are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mbabane 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$3.07 SZL 49.57

95.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$29.16 SZL 472

12.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$2.32 SZL 37.56

219.83%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.88 SZL 30.42

-12.23%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.89 SZL 14.44

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.59 SZL 9.49

28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.70 SZL 27.44

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.69 SZL 27.38

89.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.03 SZL 16.64

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.74 SZL 11.90

77.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.24 SZL 20.02

8.06%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.64 SZL 26.58

33.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.20 SZL 149

-52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$5.02 SZL 81.1

13.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$5.07 SZL 82.0

68.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.48 SZL 23.98

58.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.77 SZL 12.39

44.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.95 SZL 15.44

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.41 SZL 22.74

-2.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.06 SZL 17.15

8.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.22 SZL 19.78

-3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.55 SZL 8.93

52.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.77 SZL 12.39

11.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.59 SZL 41.83

-12.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$6.24 SZL 101

85.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.44 SZL 23.34

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.43 SZL 23.19

73.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.10 SZL 17.75

-28.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$28.95 SZL 468

41.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$3.38 SZL 54.6

-56.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$2.63 SZL 42.54

-27.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$3.40 SZL 55.0

128.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.13 SZL 18.27

-10.62%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$17.1K SZL 275.8K

3.54%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$21.0K SZL 339.0K

26.18%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$75.6 SZL 1,223

7.25%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$35.66 SZL 577

-73.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$28.16 SZL 455

-15.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$28.24 SZL 457

-7.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$4.98 SZL 80.6

275.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.71 SZL 60.1

10.24%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$104 SZL 1,687

201.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,542 SZL 73.4K

32.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$44.86 SZL 725

33.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$22.99 SZL 372

39.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$72.0 SZL 1,165

40.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$82.7 SZL 1,338

27.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$260 SZL 4,206

86.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$179 SZL 2,888

104.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$493 SZL 7,973

67.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$372 SZL 6,016

96.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$503 SZL 8,129

495.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$372 SZL 6,013

253.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$669 SZL 10.8K

-17.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.62

15.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mbabane: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $260 in Mbabane. 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 21% higher in Mbabane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Mbabane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $160 – making Mbabane 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 Mbabane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 41% more than Mbabane, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,092 in Mbabane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 41% less in Mbabane. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $104 in Mbabane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mbabane, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Mbabane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mbabane costs $728 versus $1,028 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mbabane. 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.