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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $717 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,132 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,548 in Xai-Xai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Xai-Xai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Xai-Xai 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$9.28 MZN 587

-35.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$49.66 MZN 3,141

-33.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$8.56 MZN 542

-17.17%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.12 MZN 134

-19.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.77 MZN 48.77

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.54 MZN 33.94

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$1.35 MZN 85.6

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.52 MZN 96.0

101.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.53 MZN 96.5

-28.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.09 MZN 69.1

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.62 MZN 102

-14.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.33 MZN 148

-6.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$15.24 MZN 964

-71.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$5.11 MZN 323

10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$5.22 MZN 330

70.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.92 MZN 122

21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$0.93 MZN 59.0

13.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.36 MZN 85.9

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.94 MZN 59.2

46.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.94 MZN 59.5

22.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.72 MZN 45.79

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.91 MZN 57.8

-2.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.75 MZN 47.31

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.65 MZN 167

-13.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.97 MZN 567

18.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.97 MZN 61.6

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.44 MZN 91.2

71.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.55 MZN 97.9

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$2.90 MZN 183

-32.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$24.50 MZN 1,550

-68.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.32 MZN 83.7

-28.03%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

-47.60%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

31.46%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$91.2 MZN 5,770

-9.84%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$14.36 MZN 908

-33.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$107 MZN 6,788

-77.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.98 MZN 505

-50.75%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$179 MZN 11.3K

72.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

2.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$48.15 MZN 3,046

21.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$61.4 MZN 3,884

-47.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$84.3 MZN 5,332

21.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$79.4 MZN 5,025

36.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Xai-Xai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 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 41%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,075 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 $50.0 in Xai-Xai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $717, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.