Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Victoria Falls Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Victoria Falls

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $886 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,468 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,050 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Victoria Falls 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.02 ZWL 267

-41.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$45.70 ZWL 1,219

-27.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.82 ZWL 155

-71.65%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.98 ZWL 26.10

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.51 ZWL 13.74

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.77 ZWL 47.18

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

-44.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.02 ZWL 27.25

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

-32.35%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.51 ZWL 93.8

-37.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$2.53 ZWL 67.4

77.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.02 ZWL 161

-3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.99 ZWL 213

12.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.06 ZWL 81.6

-24.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.98 ZWL 79.5

-64.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.06 ZWL 81.7

-50.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.08 ZWL 109

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

-54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.48 ZWL 39.50

-39.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.35 ZWL 35.90

65.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$19.76 ZWL 527

-38.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.85 ZWL 22.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

91.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.84 ZWL 49.09

-46.20%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$24.64 ZWL 657

236.89%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$25.40 ZWL 678

-61.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$68.9 ZWL 1,837

-65.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$59.4 ZWL 1,585

-57.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$14.90 ZWL 397

28.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$19.68 ZWL 525

-79.93%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$98.7 ZWL 2,632

220.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,018 ZWL 160.6K

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$14.89 ZWL 397

302.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$24.84 ZWL 663

28.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$59.0 ZWL 1,575

72.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$44.59 ZWL 1,190

140.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$252 ZWL 6,728

88.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$179 ZWL 4,787

108.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$500 ZWL 13.4K

69.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$351 ZWL 9,359

105.09%

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

$804 ZWL 21.5K

-22.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $252 in Victoria Falls. 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 29% higher in Victoria Falls, 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 $46.00 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $249 – 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,329 in Victoria Falls. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Victoria Falls, 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 $46.00 in Victoria Falls. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Victoria Falls, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Victoria Falls it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Victoria Falls – 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 Victoria Falls. 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.