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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $612 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $982 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,352 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Shurugwi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.81 ZWL 263

-39.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$41.23 ZWL 1,104

-19.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.19 ZWL 193

0.56%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.64 ZWL 43.95

-0.61%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.71 ZWL 18.99

53.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.43 ZWL 11.44

69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.52 ZWL 40.80

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.98 ZWL 53.0

63.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.61 ZWL 43.18

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.99 ZWL 26.39

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.87 ZWL 50.1

-29.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.13 ZWL 57.1

6.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.81 ZWL 289

-59.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.50 ZWL 174

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.57 ZWL 176

31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.00 ZWL 80.3

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

-35.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.25 ZWL 60.3

-32.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.63 ZWL 43.70

-12.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.49 ZWL 39.81

-21.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.96 ZWL 25.67

-7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.01 ZWL 27.03

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.13 ZWL 30.30

99.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.94 ZWL 239

23.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.18 ZWL 31.66

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.79 ZWL 47.94

32.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.14 ZWL 138

-72.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

-7.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.02 ZWL 134

54.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.59 ZWL 42.67

-36.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.9K ZWL 531.9K

-11.53%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.1K ZWL 617.3K

14.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$57.3 ZWL 1,534

46.01%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$17.35 ZWL 465

-45.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$91.7 ZWL 2,454

-73.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$10.08 ZWL 270

-59.33%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$278 ZWL 7,430

12.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,369 ZWL 197.3K

-18.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$19.29 ZWL 516

200.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$21.62 ZWL 579

50.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$35.06 ZWL 939

184.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$40.54 ZWL 1,085

167.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Shurugwi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $220 – 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 66%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $918 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 $41.00 in Shurugwi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $612, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.