Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ndola Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ndola

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $722 in Ndola, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,700 in Ndola, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,678 in Ndola, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Ndola, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Ndola are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ndola 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.10 ZMW 126

-15.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$24.46 ZMW 433

34.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.66 ZMW 64.8

93.72%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.94 ZMW 34.32

-11.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.38 ZMW 6.65

189.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.17 ZMW 3.06

358.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$0.94 ZMW 16.62

78.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.84 ZMW 32.60

66.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.24 ZMW 21.97

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.79 ZMW 13.96

59.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.57 ZMW 27.85

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.26 ZMW 22.39

73.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.55 ZMW 134

-41.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.95 ZMW 69.9

42.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$4.69 ZMW 83.1

89.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.23 ZMW 21.68

90.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.65 ZMW 29.20

-35.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.78 ZMW 49.15

-46.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.17 ZMW 20.76

17.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.80 ZMW 31.93

-36.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.32 ZMW 23.29

-12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.92 ZMW 16.22

-3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.51 ZMW 9.05

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.50 ZMW 44.28

-8.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.85 ZMW 192

-1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.14 ZMW 20.19

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.56 ZMW 27.64

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.55 ZMW 9.82

56.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.83 ZMW 32.36

-19.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.44 ZMW 167

-18.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.19 ZMW 21.13

-20.17%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$8,120 ZMW 143.7K

123.28%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$28.0K ZMW 496.2K

-5.51%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$91.8 ZMW 1,625

-10.39%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$36.35 ZMW 643

-73.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$124 ZMW 2,187

-80.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.06 ZMW 71.9

-3.20%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$173 ZMW 3,069

78.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,711 ZMW 171.9K

-38.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$19.00 ZMW 336

208.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$17.14 ZMW 303

88.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$84.6 ZMW 1,498

21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$73.2 ZMW 1,296

48.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$126 ZMW 2,234

277.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$109 ZMW 1,937

246.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$266 ZMW 4,713

214.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,481 ZMW 26.2K

-51.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$610 ZMW 10.8K

-16.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-46.28%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ndola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $126 in Ndola. 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 19% higher in Ndola, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Ndola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $170 – making Ndola 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 Ndola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,083 in Ndola. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ndola, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Ndola. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ndola, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ndola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – 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 Ndola. 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.