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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $442 in Mbeya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $669 in Mbeya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $896 in Mbeya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 133% more than Mbeya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mbeya 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.27 TZS 61.1K

40.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.86 TZS 20.6K

-6.62%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.59 TZS 4,166

8.18%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.37 TZS 975

183.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.40 TZS 1,051

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.76 TZS 1,988

122.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.56 TZS 1,459

87.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.94 TZS 2,478

38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.93 TZS 2,452

50.54%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.36 TZS 6,192

-8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.77 TZS 9,894

16.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.78 TZS 9,913

55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.51 TZS 9,201

146.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.19 TZS 3,118

91.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.75 TZS 1,980

48.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.94 TZS 2,475

62.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.81 TZS 2,120

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.01 TZS 2,640

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.75 TZS 1,959

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.56 TZS 1,477

51.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.76 TZS 1,983

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.18 TZS 3,108

98.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.88 TZS 10.2K

218.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.80 TZS 2,086

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.15 TZS 3,005

116.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.41 TZS 1,074

104.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.13 TZS 2,966

25.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.70 TZS 4,470

12.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.78 TZS 7,289

175.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.26 TZS 3,318

-21.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$25.04 TZS 65.7K

222.72%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$19.44 TZS 51.0K

-48.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$46.15 TZS 121.1K

-47.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.01 TZS 99.7K

-34.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.86 TZS 25.9K

-59.63%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$194 TZS 508.6K

57.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,146 TZS 3.0M

428.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$11.45 TZS 30.1K

407.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$9.85 TZS 25.8K

226.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$19.63 TZS 51.5K

413.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$27.38 TZS 71.8K

293.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$117 TZS 306.4K

308.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$76.6 TZS 201.0K

391.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$193 TZS 505.6K

338.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$117 TZS 307.1K

524.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$188 TZS 494.0K

227.65%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $117 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 228% 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: $193 vs $117 – 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 133%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $663 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $442 in Mbeya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $194 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 $442, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.