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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $909 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,471 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,033 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Medellin costs about 85% more than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Victoria Falls is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.07 ZWL 270

-20.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$44.16 ZWL 1,183

8.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.92 ZWL 159

-47.13%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.02 ZWL 27.32

87.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.48 ZWL 12.75

214.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.98 ZWL 133

-37.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.98 ZWL 53.2

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.97 ZWL 26.11

156.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

-8.76%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.55 ZWL 95.1

-16.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$2.53 ZWL 67.8

298.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.08 ZWL 163

66.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.03 ZWL 215

78.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.97 ZWL 79.7

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.03 ZWL 81.2

-46.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.98 ZWL 79.8

-24.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.04 ZWL 108

-44.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.05 ZWL 55.0

-24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.04 ZWL 54.7

-42.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.52 ZWL 40.67

-13.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.35 ZWL 89.7

16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$20.10 ZWL 538

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

-38.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.02 ZWL 27.40

114.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.83 ZWL 49.15

-25.14%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$25.26 ZWL 677

601.90%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$24.69 ZWL 661

-43.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$67.3 ZWL 1,803

-55.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$60.4 ZWL 1,618

-25.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$15.13 ZWL 405

13.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$20.07 ZWL 538

-66.87%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$99.1 ZWL 2,655

720.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,911 ZWL 158.4K

55.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$15.02 ZWL 402

495.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$25.41 ZWL 681

132.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$61.0 ZWL 1,633

126.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$44.78 ZWL 1,200

128.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$252 ZWL 6,740

322.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$181 ZWL 4,855

265.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$505 ZWL 13.5K

273.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$355 ZWL 9,508

189.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$805 ZWL 21.6K

-15.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 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 19% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $249 – making Victoria Falls 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 85%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,363 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $44.00 in Victoria Falls. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Victoria Falls, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.