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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $581 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $872 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,163 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 195% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Zanzibar is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

70.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

121.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

77.64%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.13 TZS 5,598

36.62%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.63 TZS 1,649

207.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.31 TZS 805

390.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.93 TZS 5,067

60.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.58 TZS 6,772

122.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.07 TZS 5,438

-34.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.75 TZS 1,978

218.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$0.86 TZS 2,251

97.67%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.68 TZS 7,052

7.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

29.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$2.26 TZS 5,939

376.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

142.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.92 TZS 7,665

40.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.11 TZS 2,919

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$0.74 TZS 1,951

187.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.58 TZS 1,528

281.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.98 TZS 2,565

109.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.55 TZS 4,079

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.74 TZS 1,946

60.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.48 TZS 1,269

141.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.17 TZS 5,697

79.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

50.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.55 TZS 4,062

1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.36 TZS 3,567

108.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.29 TZS 759

303.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

-66.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.74 TZS 1,951

182.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$2.62 TZS 6,884

229.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.16 TZS 3,039

12.07%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

-27.78%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

138.80%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

16.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

-38.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

50.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

-35.82%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

552.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

249.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

786.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

694.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$150 TZS 393.4K

608.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$101 TZS 264.6K

575.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$203 TZS 534.6K

889.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$149 TZS 392.4K

682.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

-89.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

-85.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$312 TZS 820.9K

113.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $150 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 113% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Zanzibar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $166 – 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 195%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $871 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 82% 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 $48.00 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 $581, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.