Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Mutare vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,247 per month in Mutare vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,715 per month in Mutare vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Mutare is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mutare and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.07 ZWL 270

$5.95 COP 20.8K

69.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ZWL 1,359

$33.33 COP 116.3K

52.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ZWL 124

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-35.96%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ZWL 34.11

$1.63 COP 5,687

-22.09%

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

$0.67 ZWL 18.04

$1.09 COP 3,821

-38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.51

$0.73 COP 2,548

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ZWL 35.11

$1.74 COP 6,065

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZWL 48.65

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZWL 33.12

$1.05 COP 3,662

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

$1.29 COP 4,515

-20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ZWL 35.64

$1.32 COP 4,617

0.76%

Eggs

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

$2.27 COP 7,927

-15.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.7

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-30.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ZWL 109

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-30.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 ZWL 139

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-39.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ZWL 54.3

$2.25 COP 7,844

-9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.93

$1.07 COP 3,733

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$1.52 COP 5,322

32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

$1.42 COP 4,964

-30.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ZWL 41.97

$1.17 COP 4,084

34.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

$1.17 COP 4,077

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.70

$0.89 COP 3,096

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

$0.90 COP 3,146

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.91

$2.25 COP 7,837

-50.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 ZWL 158

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-46.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.39

$1.14 COP 3,977

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ZWL 44.96

$2.38 COP 8,301

-29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.77

$0.84 COP 2,916

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.01 ZWL 723

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-35.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ZWL 81.9

$1.41 COP 4,912

117.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$1.90 COP 6,634

3.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ZWL 130

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-37.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.72

$1.01 COP 3,509

54.46%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

12.66%

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

$23.5K ZWL 628.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-11.40%

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

$57.5 ZWL 1,540

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-31.24%

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

$14.83 ZWL 397

$9.45 COP 33.0K

56.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 ZWL 1,627

$24.11 COP 84.1K

152.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 ZWL 1,070

$25.31 COP 88.3K

57.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ZWL 131

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-74.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ZWL 267

$4.10 COP 14.3K

143.41%

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

$148 ZWL 3,961

$312 COP 1.1M

-52.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,258 ZWL 194.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

21.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.85 ZWL 264

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-83.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.39 ZWL 251

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-71.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.10 ZWL 672

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-74.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.78 ZWL 529

$109 COP 378.8K

-81.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ZWL 9,491

$482 COP 1.7M

-26.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,748

$379 COP 1.3M

-33.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ZWL 20.2K

$837 COP 2.9M

-10.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.7K

$723 COP 2.5M

-44.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$253 ZWL 6,783

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-91.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 ZWL 6,599

$541 COP 1.9M

-54.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

13.43

-0.89%

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

Last update for Mutare: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Mutare versus $482 in Medellin. 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 119% 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 $51.0 in Mutare versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Mutare vs $190 in Medellin – so Mutare wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mutare vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,168 per month in Mutare and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Mutare and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $779 in Mutare and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mutare, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Mutare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mutare – 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 Mutare. 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.