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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $615 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $990 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,364 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 68% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Shurugwi 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 COPΒ 21.4K
$9.81 ZWLΒ 248
-39.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75 COPΒ 118.2K
$40.49 ZWLΒ 1,024
-19.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.20 COPΒ 26.0K
$7.14 ZWLΒ 181
0.84%
Cappuccino
$1.70 COPΒ 6,140
$1.73 ZWLΒ 43.75
-1.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,966
$0.72 ZWLΒ 18.18
52.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 COPΒ 2,605
$0.44 ZWLΒ 11.13
63.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.67 COPΒ 6,022
$1.47 ZWLΒ 37.08
13.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 COPΒ 11.2K
$2.05 ZWLΒ 51.9
51.22%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,809
$1.56 ZWLΒ 39.45
-32.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 COPΒ 4,497
$0.97 ZWLΒ 24.55
28.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 COPΒ 5,022
$1.89 ZWLΒ 47.83
-26.46%
Eggs
$2.26 COPΒ 8,168
$2.11 ZWLΒ 53.3
7.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 COPΒ 15.6K
$10.79 ZWLΒ 273
-59.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.84 COPΒ 21.1K
$6.54 ZWLΒ 165
-10.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.83 COPΒ 31.9K
$6.32 ZWLΒ 160
39.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 COPΒ 8,099
$2.90 ZWLΒ 73.5
-22.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 COPΒ 3,882
$1.67 ZWLΒ 42.28
-35.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COPΒ 5,522
$2.21 ZWLΒ 55.8
-30.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COPΒ 4,950
$1.70 ZWLΒ 42.99
-19.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COPΒ 4,078
$1.55 ZWLΒ 39.20
-27.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 COPΒ 4,036
$1.98 ZWLΒ 50.1
-43.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COPΒ 3,057
$1.02 ZWLΒ 25.76
-16.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COPΒ 3,281
$0.93 ZWLΒ 23.65
-2.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33 COPΒ 8,414
$1.07 ZWLΒ 27.17
117.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 COPΒ 40.2K
$8.57 ZWLΒ 217
29.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 COPΒ 4,309
$1.12 ZWLΒ 28.35
6.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COPΒ 8,553
$1.72 ZWLΒ 43.47
37.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COPΒ 2,838
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.13 COPΒ 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COPΒ 5,184
$5.03 ZWLΒ 127
-71.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 COPΒ 6,901
$2.05 ZWLΒ 51.8
-6.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.02 COPΒ 28.9K
$4.85 ZWLΒ 123
65.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 COPΒ 3,385
$1.62 ZWLΒ 40.96
-41.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K COPΒ 64.7M
$20.0K ZWLΒ 505.5K
-10.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K COPΒ 96.7M
$23.2K ZWLΒ 586.4K
15.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 COPΒ 303.1K
$58.9 ZWLΒ 1,491
42.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60 COPΒ 34.7K
$17.53 ZWLΒ 444
-45.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16 COPΒ 87.2K
$91.3 ZWLΒ 2,311
-73.55%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.88 COPΒ 93.4K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 COPΒ 68.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92 COPΒ 14.1K
$10.05 ZWLΒ 254
-61.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 COPΒ 1.1M
$273 ZWLΒ 6,905
12.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,919 COPΒ 21.4M
$7,340 ZWLΒ 185.7K
-19.37%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9 COPΒ 209.1K
$19.75 ZWLΒ 500
193.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82 COPΒ 114.9K
$21.09 ZWLΒ 534
50.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.9 COPΒ 360.6K
$35.20 ZWLΒ 891
183.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 COPΒ 386.8K
$39.81 ZWLΒ 1,007
169.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 COPΒ 1.8M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 COPΒ 1.3M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 COPΒ 3.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$716 COPΒ 2.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,925 COPΒ 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,407 COPΒ 5.1M
-
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Shurugwi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$546 COPΒ 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: April 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: $190 vs $217 – 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
Is Shurugwi cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $923 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Shurugwi?
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 cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Shurugwi?
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.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Shurugwi?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Shurugwi, where all-in costs run around $615, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Shurugwi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Shurugwi more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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