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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $902 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,450 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,997 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 24% lower, Victoria Falls 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.09 ZWL 270

-41.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$45.80 ZWL 1,226

-27.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$6.15 ZWL 165

-73.50%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.97 ZWL 26.03

12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.48 ZWL 12.75

52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.76 ZWL 47.22

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.99 ZWL 26.44

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-32.31%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.59 ZWL 96.0

-36.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.44 ZWL 65.4

78.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.94 ZWL 159

-1.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.14 ZWL 218

5.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.91 ZWL 78.0

-22.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.93 ZWL 78.6

-63.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.97 ZWL 79.6

-48.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.90 ZWL 104

-63.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.97 ZWL 52.8

-40.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

-55.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.54 ZWL 41.33

-41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.33 ZWL 35.71

69.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$20.30 ZWL 543

-45.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.92 ZWL 24.57

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.97 ZWL 26.02

95.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.82 ZWL 48.67

-44.51%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$25.06 ZWL 671

233.92%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$25.46 ZWL 681

-62.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$66.8 ZWL 1,789

-63.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$60.6 ZWL 1,622

-58.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.84 ZWL 397

28.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$20.20 ZWL 541

-79.70%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$101 ZWL 2,708

208.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,939 ZWL 159.0K

0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$14.79 ZWL 396

292.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.75 ZWL 662

31.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

69.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$44.10 ZWL 1,181

146.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$253 ZWL 6,764

90.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$181 ZWL 4,843

109.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$509 ZWL 13.6K

64.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$346 ZWL 9,263

108.97%

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

$791 ZWL 21.2K

-31.61%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $253 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 46% 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: $190 vs $248 – 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,353 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 31% 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 $902, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.