Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mwanza and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $185 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$185

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mwanza and in Medellin

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

A single person spends $185 per month in Mwanza vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Mwanza $185
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $291 per month in Mwanza vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Mwanza $291
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $396 per month in Mwanza vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Mwanza $396
Medellin $3,186

Mwanza is about 89% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mwanza sits 86% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 TZS 6,302

$8.09 COP 25.4K

-70.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.09 TZS 39.4K

$47.05 COP 148.0K

-67.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 TZS 11.6K

$9.50 COP 29.9K

-53.16%

Cappuccino

$2.57 TZS 6,712

$3.01 COP 9,485

-14.62%

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

$1.80 COP 5,660

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 TZS 695

$1.41 COP 4,443

-80.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 TZS 2,517

$3.18 COP 9,990

-69.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 TZS 3,346

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-77.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 TZS 2,375

$1.51 COP 4,751

-39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 TZS 4,059

$2.38 COP 7,480

-34.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,566

$1.77 COP 5,573

-44.63%

Eggs

$2.05 TZS 5,354

$2.89 COP 9,093

-29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.0K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.5K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,883

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,867

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,870

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,518

$1.96 COP 6,174

-51.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 TZS 3,477

$1.59 COP 5,000

-16.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,604

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,034

$1.24 COP 3,911

-67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,221

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,674

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 243.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 3,989

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,442

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 TZS 3,992

$1.35 COP 4,237

13.33%

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

$34.1K COP 107.2M

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

$34.7K COP 109.1M

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

$65.9 TZS 172.0K

$170 COP 533.7K

-61.17%

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

$13.55 COP 42.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 137.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.7K

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

$797 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 266.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 182.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 424.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 307.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 TZS 495.4K

$657 COP 2.1M

-71.13%

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 Mwanza: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mwanza

–

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Groceries & Markets

Mwanza

–

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mwanza

–

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Eating Out

Mwanza

–

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Mwanza

–

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Getting Around

Mwanza

–

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Mwanza

–

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Medellin are about 3.5 times higher, 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 $15 in Mwanza versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $47 vs $297 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

01:10 1:10 AM

17:10 5:10 PM

8 h behind Mwanza

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,104,521

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.18 USD

10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2,611 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD). 1 EUR = 2,907 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mwanza Medellin 12,080 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Mwanza
Medellin

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

Mwanza vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 787%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $277 per month in Mwanza and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 531% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15 in Mwanza and $47 in Medellin. 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 Mwanza, where all-in costs run around $185, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Mwanza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $185 in Mwanza to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mwanza. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.