Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mutare Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mutare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $800 in Mutare, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,237 in Mutare, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,673 in Mutare, rent included.

Medellin costs about 111% more than Mutare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Mutare is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$9.98 ZWL 266

-20.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$45.27 ZWL 1,207

-1.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$4.62 ZWL 123

101.08%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.26 ZWL 33.64

130.16%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.77 ZWL 20.66

135.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.52 ZWL 13.96

198.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.38 ZWL 36.88

135.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.82 ZWL 48.44

223.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

152.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.28 ZWL 34.10

17.97%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.88 ZWL 50.2

47.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$3.04 ZWL 80.9

197.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.08 ZWL 109

161.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$4.95 ZWL 132

195.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

97.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.60 ZWL 42.56

-13.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.95 ZWL 51.9

17.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.98 ZWL 26.19

106.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.72 ZWL 45.76

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.99 ZWL 26.30

64.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

20.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$1.23 ZWL 32.72

227.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$6.02 ZWL 161

123.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.17 ZWL 31.18

36.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.75 ZWL 46.58

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.78 ZWL 20.84

51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$27.35 ZWL 729

192.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.93 ZWL 78.2

-45.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

3.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$5.02 ZWL 134

69.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.81 ZWL 48.36

-25.41%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$22.3K ZWL 594.9K

26.93%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$23.6K ZWL 629.1K

51.27%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$53.9 ZWL 1,436

180.96%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$14.81 ZWL 395

-11.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$60.8 ZWL 1,621

-46.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$40.57 ZWL 1,082

14.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$4.88 ZWL 130

253.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.05 ZWL 268

-36.02%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$146 ZWL 3,883

473.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,908 ZWL 237.5K

-0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$10.05 ZWL 268

788.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$9.70 ZWL 259

470.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$25.15 ZWL 670

443.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$19.96 ZWL 532

447.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$353 ZWL 9,405

169.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$245 ZWL 6,536

172.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$746 ZWL 19.9K

170.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$401 ZWL 10.7K

186.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$248 ZWL 6,600

1392.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$249 ZWL 6,635

151.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

13.69

-23.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mutare: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $353 in Mutare. 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 151% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Mutare. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $155 in Mutare – so Mutare wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mutare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 111%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,201 in Mutare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Mutare. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $800 in Mutare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mutare, where all-in costs run around $800, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Mutare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Mutare. 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.