Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mbeya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mbeya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $431 in Mbeya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $664 in Mbeya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $898 in Mbeya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 299% more than Mbeya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Mbeya is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$22.79 TZS 59.9K

111.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$7.51 TZS 19.7K

30.09%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$1.47 TZS 3,863

97.96%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.36 TZS 956

438.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.40 TZS 1,045

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$0.73 TZS 1,918

323.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.55 TZS 1,437

147.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.91 TZS 2,386

162.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$0.92 TZS 2,420

84.78%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.28 TZS 5,995

25.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$3.74 TZS 9,830

165.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$3.78 TZS 9,951

185.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$3.44 TZS 9,038

328.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.15 TZS 3,026

255.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$0.78 TZS 2,038

101.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$0.96 TZS 2,526

121.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.72 TZS 1,892

206.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.92 TZS 2,415

122.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.77 TZS 2,035

94.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.55 TZS 1,451

116.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.77 TZS 2,035

50.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.10 TZS 2,890

254.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$3.84 TZS 10.1K

276.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$0.74 TZS 1,943

113.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.11 TZS 2,917

154.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.39 TZS 1,036

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.11 TZS 2,916

15.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.87 TZS 4,908

11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$2.67 TZS 7,031

222.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.19 TZS 3,133

9.24%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$23.73 TZS 62.4K

641.97%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$18.80 TZS 49.4K

-28.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$44.63 TZS 117.3K

-33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$37.61 TZS 98.9K

19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$9.46 TZS 24.9K

-34.46%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$185 TZS 486.7K

328.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$1,135 TZS 3.0M

694.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$11.37 TZS 29.9K

652.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$9.52 TZS 25.0K

514.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$19.10 TZS 50.2K

613.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$26.66 TZS 70.1K

286.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$112 TZS 293.7K

848.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$75.9 TZS 199.5K

795.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$188 TZS 493.6K

971.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$112 TZS 294.3K

943.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$192 TZS 504.5K

246.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-15.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $112 in Mbeya. 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 247% 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 $23.00 in Mbeya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $115 – making Mbeya 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 Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 299%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $646 in Mbeya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbeya, 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $431 in Mbeya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $185 in Mbeya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbeya, where all-in costs run around $431, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Mbeya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mbeya. 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.