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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $890 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,451 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,013 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Victoria Falls 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.98 ZWL 253

-40.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.91 ZWL 1,136

-27.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$6.10 ZWL 154

-72.13%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.99 ZWL 25.01

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.49 ZWL 12.36

46.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.70 ZWL 42.96

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.96 ZWL 49.55

-45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.98 ZWL 24.86

27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.94 ZWL 49.15

-28.35%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.52 ZWL 89.0

-35.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$2.44 ZWL 61.8

77.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.08 ZWL 154

-3.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.11 ZWL 205

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.04 ZWL 76.9

-26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$3.04 ZWL 76.9

-64.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.03 ZWL 76.7

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.04 ZWL 102

-66.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.06 ZWL 52.0

-45.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.94 ZWL 49.15

-56.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.54 ZWL 39.00

-40.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.34 ZWL 33.82

73.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.71 ZWL 499

-43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.89 ZWL 22.55

-11.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.99 ZWL 24.93

92.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.85 ZWL 46.87

-49.19%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$24.92 ZWL 630

236.92%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$25.48 ZWL 645

-62.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$68.4 ZWL 1,731

-64.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$60.8 ZWL 1,539

-57.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.80 ZWL 374

28.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$19.78 ZWL 500

-80.18%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$98.6 ZWL 2,494

210.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,919 ZWL 149.8K

-0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$15.09 ZWL 382

283.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$25.33 ZWL 641

25.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$59.6 ZWL 1,509

67.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$44.40 ZWL 1,123

141.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$245 ZWL 6,209

98.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$182 ZWL 4,607

102.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$509 ZWL 12.9K

62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$344 ZWL 8,702

108.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$791 ZWL 20.0K

-31.03%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $245 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 45% 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 $45.00 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 16%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,334 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 $45.00 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 $890, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.