Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Xai-Xai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Xai-Xai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $708 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,119 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,531 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 46% more than Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Xai-Xai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Xai-Xai 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.13 MZN 577

-32.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$49.45 MZN 3,126

-34.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.31 MZN 525

-11.67%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.05 MZN 129

-16.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.75 MZN 47.60

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.58 MZN 36.96

32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.36 MZN 85.8

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.52 MZN 96.0

108.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.51 MZN 95.7

-30.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.06 MZN 66.9

22.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.64 MZN 103

-14.63%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.38 MZN 150

-9.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$15.01 MZN 949

-70.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.23 MZN 331

12.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.42 MZN 343

59.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.97 MZN 124

15.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.88 MZN 55.8

26.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.41 MZN 88.9

8.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.93 MZN 58.8

45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.95 MZN 60.0

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.68 MZN 42.77

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.90 MZN 56.9

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.73 MZN 46.33

24.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.62 MZN 166

-10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.83 MZN 558

40.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.02 MZN 64.4

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.43 MZN 90.6

74.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.59 MZN 101

-10.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.92 MZN 185

-34.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$24.28 MZN 1,535

-68.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.31 MZN 82.8

-24.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.7K MZN 2.3M

-49.50%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K MZN 1.3M

31.04%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$91.2 MZN 5,763

-11.34%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.49 MZN 916

-31.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$106 MZN 6,684

-77.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.94 MZN 502

-49.87%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$178 MZN 11.3K

70.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,805 MZN 367.0K

4.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$49.82 MZN 3,150

16.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$62.6 MZN 3,959

-48.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.0 MZN 5,245

21.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$79.4 MZN 5,019

35.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

24.33

-44.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Xai-Xai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $197 – 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 Xai-Xai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,062 in Xai-Xai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $49.00 in Xai-Xai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xai-Xai, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Xai-Xai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xai-Xai – 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 Xai-Xai. 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.