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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $742 in Ndola, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,740 in Ndola, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,738 in Ndola, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Ndola, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Ndola are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ndola 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.08 ZMW 129

-12.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.36 ZMW 462

28.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

99.46%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

-12.24%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

327.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

92.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

82.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

64.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

-15.15%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.82 ZMW 142

-43.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

48.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

85.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

85.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

-30.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

-42.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

-14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

-8.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.79 ZMW 196

14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

57.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

-23.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.45 ZMW 172

-18.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

-19.51%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

129.36%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

-4.97%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

-11.50%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$36.46 ZMW 664

-72.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$123 ZMW 2,241

-80.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

-6.35%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$178 ZMW 3,240

71.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

-36.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.59 ZMW 338

212.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$17.17 ZMW 312

87.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

47.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$126 ZMW 2,295

277.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$109 ZMW 1,979

245.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$276 ZMW 5,020

206.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

-50.82%

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

$608 ZMW 11.1K

1.42%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 1% 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 $25.00 in Ndola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 39%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,113 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 $25.00 in Ndola. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $742, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.