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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $800 per month in Mutare vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Mutare vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,673 per month in Mutare vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Mutare is about 53% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mutare sits 42% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 ZWL 266

$7.89 COP 24.2K

26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.27 ZWL 1,207

$44.53 COP 136.5K

1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ZWL 123

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-50.27%

Cappuccino

$1.26 ZWL 33.64

$2.90 COP 8,874

-56.55%

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

$0.77 ZWL 20.66

$1.81 COP 5,541

-57.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.96

$1.55 COP 4,741

-66.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ZWL 36.88

$3.25 COP 9,962

-57.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZWL 48.44

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-69.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

$1.38 COP 4,230

-7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

$2.45 COP 7,517

-60.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ZWL 34.10

$1.51 COP 4,617

-15.23%

Eggs

$1.88 ZWL 50.2

$2.78 COP 8,516

-32.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 80.9

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-66.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 ZWL 109

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-61.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 ZWL 132

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-66.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-49.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.56

$1.38 COP 4,219

15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 51.9

$2.30 COP 7,056

-15.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.19

$2.02 COP 6,185

-51.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ZWL 45.76

$2.09 COP 6,390

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.30

$1.63 COP 4,996

-39.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

$1.08 COP 3,313

-51.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

$1.25 COP 3,843

-16.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.23 ZWL 32.72

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-69.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 ZWL 161

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-55.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.18

$1.60 COP 4,904

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ZWL 46.58

$3.00 COP 9,189

-41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ZWL 20.84

$1.18 COP 3,611

-33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.35 ZWL 729

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-65.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ZWL 78.2

$1.61 COP 4,920

81.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

$2.13 COP 6,533

-3.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-41.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 ZWL 48.36

$1.35 COP 4,142

34.07%

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

$22.3K ZWL 594.9K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-21.21%

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

$23.6K ZWL 629.1K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-33.89%

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

$53.9 ZWL 1,436

$151 COP 463.8K

-64.41%

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

$14.81 ZWL 395

$13.10 COP 40.1K

13.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 ZWL 1,621

$32.30 COP 99.0K

88.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.57 ZWL 1,082

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-12.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.88 ZWL 130

$17.26 COP 52.9K

-71.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 ZWL 268

$6.43 COP 19.7K

56.30%

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

$146 ZWL 3,883

$835 COP 2.6M

-82.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,908 ZWL 237.5K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

0.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.05 ZWL 268

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-88.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.70 ZWL 259

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-82.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.15 ZWL 670

$137 COP 418.5K

-81.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.96 ZWL 532

$109 COP 335.1K

-81.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ZWL 9,405

$952 COP 2.9M

-62.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 ZWL 6,536

$668 COP 2.0M

-63.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ZWL 19.9K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-63.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-65.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$248 ZWL 6,600

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-93.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 ZWL 6,635

$625 COP 1.9M

-60.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

10.43

31.26%

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

Last update for Mutare: August 17, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Mutare versus $952 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 151% 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 $45.00 in Mutare versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $297 – making Mutare 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

Mutare vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 111%, 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 $1,201 per month in Mutare and $2,530 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 $45.00 in Mutare and $45.00 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 $800 in Mutare and $1,687 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 $800, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.