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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $451 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $702 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 125% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zanzibar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

23.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

46.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

21.61%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.18 TZS 5,635

-21.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.60 TZS 1,539

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.31 TZS 792

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.94 TZS 5,011

-13.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.77 TZS 7,141

10.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-38.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.74 TZS 1,897

70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.87 TZS 2,236

58.62%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-23.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.28 TZS 5,872

146.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

87.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.92 TZS 7,541

-19.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.13 TZS 2,908

-6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.75 TZS 1,943

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.59 TZS 1,530

133.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.93 TZS 2,386

23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.58 TZS 4,062

-26.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.74 TZS 1,916

20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.46 TZS 1,184

82.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.11 TZS 5,442

8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

11.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.75 TZS 4,520

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.31 TZS 3,387

88.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.65 TZS 1,664

32.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.76 TZS 7,125

180.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.20 TZS 3,101

-20.83%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

-9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

6.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

21.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-58.28%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

342.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

85.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

572.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

688.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$148 TZS 382.9K

220.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

282.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$202 TZS 520.2K

315.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$150 TZS 386.0K

383.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-92.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-89.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$324 TZS 834.5K

58.17%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $148 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 58% 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: $188 vs $138 – 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 125%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $676 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 37% 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 $451, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.