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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $742 per month in Ndola vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,740 per month in Ndola vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in Ndola vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ndola is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 44% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ZMW 129

$6.16 COP 20.1K

14.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 ZMW 462

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-22.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-49.86%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

$1.72 COP 5,599

13.95%

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

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

$1.05 COP 3,420

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

$0.77 COP 2,515

-76.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

$1.69 COP 5,487

-47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-45.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

$1.05 COP 3,423

23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

$1.30 COP 4,236

-39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

$1.40 COP 4,544

17.86%

Eggs

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

$2.16 COP 7,046

-38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 142

$4.39 COP 14.3K

78.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-32.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-45.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

$2.28 COP 7,425

-46.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

$1.11 COP 3,603

44.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

$1.53 COP 4,982

74.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

$1.35 COP 4,410

-13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

$1.13 COP 3,674

61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

$1.13 COP 3,692

16.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

$0.85 COP 2,753

1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

$0.91 COP 2,975

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

$2.34 COP 7,629

8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 ZMW 196

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

$1.20 COP 3,909

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

$2.49 COP 8,104

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

$0.84 COP 2,727

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

$1.42 COP 4,623

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 172

$7.66 COP 24.9K

23.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

$0.99 COP 3,223

24.24%

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

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-56.40%

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

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

5.23%

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

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

$80.8 COP 263.1K

12.99%

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

$36.46 ZMW 664

$9.95 COP 32.4K

266.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,241

$24.18 COP 78.7K

409.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

$3.98 COP 13.0K

6.78%

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

$178 ZMW 3,240

$305 COP 993.4K

-41.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

57.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 338

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-68.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.17 ZMW 312

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-46.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

$101 COP 327.9K

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

$108 COP 350.8K

-32.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,295

$477 COP 1.6M

-73.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,979

$376 COP 1.2M

-71.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ZMW 5,020

$845 COP 2.7M

-67.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

103.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ZMW 11.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

-1.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

86.15%

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

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola versus $477 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 1% 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 $25.00 in Ndola versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $193 – 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 39%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Ndola and $1,546 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 $25.00 in Ndola and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $742, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.