Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mwanza

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $185 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Mwanza

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Mwanza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $185 in Mwanza, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Mwanza $185

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $291 in Mwanza, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Mwanza $291

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $396 in Mwanza, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Mwanza $396

Medellin costs about 787% more than Mwanza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Mwanza is 86% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 25.4K

$2.41 TZS 6,302

235.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 148.0K

$15.09 TZS 39.4K

211.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 29.9K

$4.45 TZS 11.6K

113.48%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,485

$2.57 TZS 6,712

17.12%

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

$1.80 COP 5,660

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,443

$0.27 TZS 695

422.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 9,990

$0.96 TZS 2,517

231.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.28 TZS 3,346

349.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$0.91 TZS 2,375

65.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,480

$1.55 TZS 4,059

53.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,573

$0.98 TZS 2,566

80.61%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,093

$2.05 TZS 5,354

40.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.0K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.5K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,883

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,867

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,870

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,174

$0.96 TZS 2,518

104.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,000

$1.33 TZS 3,477

19.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,604

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,911

$0.40 TZS 1,034

210.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,221

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,674

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 243.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 3,989

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,442

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,237

$1.53 TZS 3,992

-11.76%

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

$34.1K COP 107.2M

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

$34.7K COP 109.1M

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

$170 COP 533.7K

$65.9 TZS 172.0K

157.55%

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

$13.55 COP 42.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 137.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.7K

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

$797 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 266.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 182.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 424.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 307.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$190 TZS 495.4K

246.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mwanza: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Mwanza

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Mwanza

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Mwanza

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Mwanza

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Mwanza

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Mwanza

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Mwanza

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Medellin are about 3.5 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $15 in Mwanza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $47 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🕒 Local time

17:55 5:55 PM

01:55 1:55 AM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,104,521

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.18 USD

10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TZS, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2,611 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD). 1 EUR = 2,907 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Mwanza 12,080 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mwanza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 787%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $277 in Mwanza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 531% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $15 in Mwanza. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mwanza, where all-in costs run around $185, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Mwanza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $185 in Mwanza to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mwanza. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.