Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shurugwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shurugwi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $621 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $998 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,376 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Shurugwi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.93 ZWL 265

-40.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$40.41 ZWL 1,078

-18.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.03 ZWL 188

5.69%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.71 ZWL 45.51

-3.51%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.66 ZWL 17.70

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.44 ZWL 11.62

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.46 ZWL 38.96

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

57.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.60 ZWL 42.78

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.87 ZWL 49.78

-26.20%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.99 ZWL 293

-59.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.57 ZWL 175

-11.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.22 ZWL 166

44.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.86 ZWL 76.4

-18.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.63 ZWL 43.48

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.27 ZWL 60.6

-33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.73 ZWL 46.16

-21.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.50 ZWL 39.92

-24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.99 ZWL 53.2

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.03 ZWL 27.52

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.01 ZWL 26.86

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.07 ZWL 28.48

108.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.53 ZWL 254

27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.16 ZWL 31.05

2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.71 ZWL 45.55

45.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$5.02 ZWL 134

-71.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

-1.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.94 ZWL 132

59.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.55 ZWL 41.35

-36.13%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.2K ZWL 538.1K

-12.73%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.7K ZWL 632.9K

12.97%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$59.3 ZWL 1,581

40.08%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.48 ZWL 466

-44.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$90.9 ZWL 2,426

-74.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.16 ZWL 271

-61.12%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$278 ZWL 7,425

13.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,397 ZWL 197.4K

-19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$19.76 ZWL 527

203.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$21.45 ZWL 572

48.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$35.15 ZWL 938

189.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$40.00 ZWL 1,067

168.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.31

0.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Shurugwi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $221 – making Medellin 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 Shurugwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 61%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $932 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Shurugwi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shurugwi, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Shurugwi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shurugwi – 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 Shurugwi. 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.