Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Ndola vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Ndola vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,784 per month in Ndola vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Ndola is about 56% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ndola sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 110

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-28.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ZMW 608

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-34.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-47.49%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

$2.91 COP 9,095

-0.69%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

$1.94 COP 6,074

-71.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

$1.52 COP 4,754

-83.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

$3.09 COP 9,663

-58.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

$1.36 COP 4,262

27.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

$2.39 COP 7,460

-50.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

$1.70 COP 5,314

25.88%

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

$2.87 COP 8,967

-42.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

$9.94 COP 31.1K

7.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-39.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-53.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-61.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

$1.57 COP 4,911

59.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

$2.13 COP 6,642

76.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

$2.21 COP 6,917

-25.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

$2.05 COP 6,396

27.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

$1.50 COP 4,700

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

$1.19 COP 3,718

-2.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

$1.16 COP 3,619

-43.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ZMW 200

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

$1.58 COP 4,948

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

$2.83 COP 8,836

-14.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

$1.17 COP 3,650

-35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

$1.28 COP 4,014

103.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

$2.09 COP 6,537

-25.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-39.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

$1.30 COP 4,056

13.08%

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-71.53%

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-23.47%

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

$176 COP 550.1K

-51.96%

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

$29.89 COP 93.4K

93.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-0.48%

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

$793 COP 2.5M

-82.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

85.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-71.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-71.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

$136 COP 425.9K

-65.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

$103 COP 322.2K

-26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-82.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

$680 COP 2.1M

-76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-80.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

29.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

$665 COP 2.1M

-11.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

165.08%

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

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Ndola versus $1,060 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 13% 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 $32.00 in Ndola versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $303 – making Ndola 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

Ndola vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 128%, 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 $1,127 per month in Ndola and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ndola, 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 $32.00 in Ndola and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ndola, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Ndola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – 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 Ndola. 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.