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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $432 in Mbeya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $669 in Mbeya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Mbeya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 134% more than Mbeya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mbeya 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$23.32 TZS 60.1K

40.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.94 TZS 20.5K

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.58 TZS 4,065

8.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.41 TZS 1,054

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.41 TZS 1,048

90.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.73 TZS 1,896

130.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.55 TZS 1,426

98.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.99 TZS 2,555

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.00 TZS 2,576

38.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.28 TZS 5,881

-3.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.92 TZS 10.1K

12.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.81 TZS 9,832

47.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$3.53 TZS 9,101

151.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.15 TZS 2,959

103.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.79 TZS 2,048

34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.96 TZS 2,464

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.74 TZS 1,908

86.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.95 TZS 2,461

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.81 TZS 2,076

43.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.55 TZS 1,430

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.75 TZS 1,922

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.19 TZS 3,078

91.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$3.89 TZS 10.0K

173.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.80 TZS 2,075

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.17 TZS 3,023

111.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.37 TZS 962

132.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.19 TZS 3,059

23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.76 TZS 4,540

11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.76 TZS 7,108

180.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.27 TZS 3,263

-25.20%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$24.83 TZS 64.0K

231.25%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.42 TZS 50.1K

-51.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$45.89 TZS 118.4K

-47.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$38.67 TZS 99.7K

-33.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.49 TZS 24.5K

-58.59%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$193 TZS 498.9K

59.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,179 TZS 3.0M

406.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$11.44 TZS 29.5K

412.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$9.78 TZS 25.2K

230.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$19.68 TZS 50.7K

421.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$27.31 TZS 70.4K

297.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$115 TZS 297.1K

313.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$78.5 TZS 202.5K

382.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$191 TZS 492.9K

338.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$114 TZS 295.2K

532.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$191 TZS 491.4K

168.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $115 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 169% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Mbeya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $118 – 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 134%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $649 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $432 in Mbeya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $193 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 $432, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.