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 $708 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,119 per month in Xai-Xai vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,531 per month in Xai-Xai vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Xai-Xai is about 31% 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.13 MZN 577

$6.16 COP 20.1K

48.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 MZN 3,126

$32.60 COP 106.1K

51.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 MZN 525

$7.34 COP 23.9K

13.22%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MZN 129

$1.72 COP 5,599

19.19%

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

$0.75 MZN 47.60

$1.05 COP 3,420

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MZN 36.96

$0.77 COP 2,515

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MZN 85.8

$1.69 COP 5,487

-19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MZN 96.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-52.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MZN 95.7

$1.05 COP 3,423

43.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MZN 66.9

$1.30 COP 4,236

-18.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MZN 103

$1.40 COP 4,544

17.14%

Eggs

$2.38 MZN 150

$2.16 COP 7,046

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 MZN 949

$4.39 COP 14.3K

241.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MZN 331

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.42 MZN 343

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-37.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MZN 124

$2.28 COP 7,425

-13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 MZN 55.8

$1.11 COP 3,603

-20.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 MZN 88.9

$1.53 COP 4,982

-7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MZN 58.8

$1.35 COP 4,410

-31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 MZN 60.0

$1.13 COP 3,674

-15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MZN 42.77

$1.13 COP 3,692

-39.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MZN 56.9

$0.85 COP 2,753

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MZN 46.33

$0.91 COP 2,975

-19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 MZN 166

$2.34 COP 7,629

11.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 MZN 558

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-28.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MZN 64.4

$1.20 COP 3,909

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MZN 90.6

$2.49 COP 8,104

-42.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MZN 101

$1.42 COP 4,623

11.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 MZN 185

$1.92 COP 6,235

52.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 MZN 1,535

$7.66 COP 24.9K

216.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MZN 82.8

$0.99 COP 3,223

32.32%

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

$35.7K MZN 2.3M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

98.03%

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

$20.3K MZN 1.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.69%

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

$91.2 MZN 5,763

$80.8 COP 263.1K

12.80%

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

$14.49 MZN 916

$9.95 COP 32.4K

45.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 MZN 6,684

$24.18 COP 78.7K

337.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 MZN 502

$3.98 COP 13.0K

99.50%

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

$178 MZN 11.3K

$305 COP 993.4K

-41.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,805 MZN 367.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-4.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 MZN 3,150

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 MZN 3,959

$32.20 COP 104.8K

94.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MZN 5,245

$101 COP 327.9K

-17.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MZN 5,019

$108 COP 350.8K

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

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)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Xai-Xai versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $193 – 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 46%, 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 $1,062 per month in Xai-Xai and $1,546 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 $49.00 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 2% 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 $708, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.