Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $451 per month in Zanzibar vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $702 per month in Zanzibar vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $954 per month in Zanzibar vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Zanzibar is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Zanzibar and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Zanzibar 66% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-18.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-31.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-17.77%

Cappuccino

$2.18 TZS 5,635

$1.71 COP 6,115

27.49%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,539

$1.10 COP 3,924

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 792

$0.78 COP 2,781

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 TZS 5,011

$1.68 COP 5,997

15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 TZS 7,141

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-9.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 TZS 4,574

$1.09 COP 3,906

62.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 TZS 1,897

$1.26 COP 4,508

-41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,236

$1.38 COP 4,922

-36.96%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,396

$2.19 COP 7,827

31.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 TZS 5,872

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-59.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-46.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 TZS 7,541

$2.34 COP 8,349

24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 TZS 2,908

$1.06 COP 3,777

6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,943

$1.50 COP 5,374

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 TZS 1,530

$1.38 COP 4,924

-57.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,386

$1.15 COP 4,111

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 TZS 4,062

$1.16 COP 4,155

36.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,916

$0.89 COP 3,182

-16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,184

$0.84 COP 2,997

-45.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 TZS 5,442

$2.28 COP 8,145

-7.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 TZS 4,520

$1.20 COP 4,284

45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,387

$2.47 COP 8,824

-46.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 TZS 1,664

$0.86 COP 3,056

-24.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TZS 7,125

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-64.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 TZS 3,101

$0.95 COP 3,409

26.32%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

10.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-6.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

139.69%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-77.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-46.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

$103 COP 366.4K

-85.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

$108 COP 387.2K

-87.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 382.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-68.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-73.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 520.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

-75.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 386.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-79.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

1279.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

838.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 TZS 834.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

-36.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $148 in Zanzibar versus $476 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 58% 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $138 vs $188 – making Zanzibar 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

Zanzibar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 125%, 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 $676 per month in Zanzibar and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zanzibar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Zanzibar and $33.00 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 Zanzibar, where all-in costs run around $451, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Zanzibar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zanzibar – 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 Zanzibar. 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.