Cost of Living Comparison Between Xai-Xai and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Xai-Xai and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $717 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,548 per month in Xai-Xai vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Xai-Xai is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Xai-Xai and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Xai-Xai 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.28 MZN 587

$5.99 COP 21.3K

54.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.66 MZN 3,141

$32.86 COP 116.9K

51.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 MZN 542

$7.09 COP 25.2K

20.73%

Cappuccino

$2.12 MZN 134

$1.71 COP 6,093

23.98%

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

$0.77 MZN 48.77

$1.10 COP 3,910

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MZN 33.94

$0.78 COP 2,771

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MZN 85.6

$1.68 COP 5,976

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-50.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MZN 96.5

$1.09 COP 3,892

40.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MZN 69.1

$1.26 COP 4,492

-13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MZN 102

$1.38 COP 4,905

17.39%

Eggs

$2.33 MZN 148

$2.19 COP 7,799

6.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 MZN 964

$4.40 COP 15.7K

246.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MZN 323

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-9.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MZN 330

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-41.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 MZN 122

$2.34 COP 8,319

-17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 59.0

$1.06 COP 3,764

-12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MZN 85.9

$1.50 COP 5,355

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.2

$1.38 COP 4,906

-31.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MZN 59.5

$1.15 COP 4,097

-18.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MZN 45.79

$1.16 COP 4,141

-37.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MZN 57.8

$0.89 COP 3,170

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MZN 47.31

$0.84 COP 2,986

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 MZN 167

$2.28 COP 8,116

16.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 MZN 567

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-15.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MZN 61.6

$1.20 COP 4,268

-19.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MZN 91.2

$2.47 COP 8,793

-41.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 MZN 97.9

$1.47 COP 5,245

5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 MZN 183

$1.96 COP 6,984

47.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.50 MZN 1,550

$7.74 COP 27.5K

216.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MZN 83.7

$0.95 COP 3,397

38.95%

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

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

90.84%

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

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-23.93%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,770

$82.3 COP 292.7K

10.92%

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

$14.36 MZN 908

$9.50 COP 33.8K

51.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 MZN 6,788

$24.23 COP 86.2K

342.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 MZN 505

$3.93 COP 14.0K

103.05%

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

$179 MZN 11.3K

$309 COP 1.1M

-42.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-2.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.15 MZN 3,046

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 MZN 3,884

$32.35 COP 115.1K

89.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 MZN 5,332

$103 COP 365.1K

-17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,025

$108 COP 385.8K

-26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

13.43

81.16%

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

Last update for Xai-Xai: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Xai-Xai versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Xai-Xai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,075 per month in Xai-Xai and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Xai-Xai and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Xai-Xai, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Xai-Xai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Xai-Xai – 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 Xai-Xai. 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.