Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $439 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $701 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $962 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 135% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Zanzibar 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

29.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

46.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

25.68%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.27 TZS 5,963

-24.23%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.60 TZS 1,587

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.34 TZS 880

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.90 TZS 4,978

-11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.69 TZS 7,051

17.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.70 TZS 4,452

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.73 TZS 1,921

78.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.87 TZS 2,292

60.92%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.87 TZS 7,534

-24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.36 TZS 6,194

149.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

81.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.94 TZS 7,715

-22.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.19 TZS 3,116

-6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.80 TZS 2,101

91.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.56 TZS 1,471

141.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.94 TZS 2,475

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.50 TZS 3,946

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.79 TZS 2,068

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.50 TZS 1,311

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.02 TZS 5,289

15.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

28.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.79 TZS 4,690

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.31 TZS 3,438

90.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.63 TZS 1,666

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.77 TZS 7,270

176.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 TZS 3,036

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

-3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

5.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

19.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

-59.01%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

334.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

82.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

563.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

684.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$149 TZS 390.6K

220.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$101 TZS 266.1K

270.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$202 TZS 529.6K

318.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$150 TZS 392.5K

388.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

-91.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

-88.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$316 TZS 829.5K

95.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $149 in Zanzibar. 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 95% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Zanzibar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $139 – making Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 135%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $659 in Zanzibar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zanzibar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Zanzibar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zanzibar, where all-in costs run around $439, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Zanzibar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zanzibar – 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 Zanzibar. 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.