Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zimba

For one person, living is cheaper in Zimba: $131 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Zimba

🇿🇲 Zambia

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Zimba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Zimba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $131 in Zimba, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Zimba $131

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $204 in Zimba, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Zimba $204

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $278 in Zimba, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Zimba $278

Medellin costs about 1142% more than Zimba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Zimba is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$2.93 ZMW 58.3

215.36%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$1.46 ZMW 29.04

108.90%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$0.73 ZMW 14.61

146.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$0.34 ZMW 6.75

305.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$0.77 ZMW 15.31

320.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$1.03 ZMW 20.40

439.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$1.02 ZMW 20.19

132.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$1.52 ZMW 30.15

11.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$1.27 ZMW 25.18

133.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$3.56 ZMW 70.8

290.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$1.79 ZMW 35.54

130.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$1.52 ZMW 30.19

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$2.95 ZMW 58.7

-24.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$0.73 ZMW 14.43

210.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$0.72 ZMW 14.34

131.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$0.89 ZMW 17.67

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$0.52 ZMW 10.32

138.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$5.87 ZMW 117

134.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$0.78 ZMW 15.56

112.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$0.97 ZMW 19.32

147.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

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

$167 COP 528.4K

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zimba: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Zimba

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Zimba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Zimba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Zimba

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Zimba

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Zimba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Zimba

–

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇿🇲 Zimba

🕒 Local time

07:32 7:32 AM

14:32 2:32 PM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Zimba 11,460 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

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Medellin
Zimba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zimba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1142%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $196 in Zimba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $131 in Zimba. That's a gap of about 1142%.

Groceries cost about 216% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zimba, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Zimba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zimba – 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 Zimba. 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.