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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $581 per month in Zanzibar vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $872 per month in Zanzibar vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,163 per month in Zanzibar vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Zanzibar is about 66% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Zanzibar sits 58% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-41.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-54.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-43.71%

Cappuccino

$2.13 TZS 5,598

$2.91 COP 9,149

-26.80%

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

$0.63 TZS 1,649

$1.94 COP 6,110

-67.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 805

$1.52 COP 4,783

-79.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 TZS 5,067

$3.09 COP 9,721

-37.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 TZS 6,772

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-55.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 TZS 5,438

$1.36 COP 4,287

52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 TZS 1,978

$2.39 COP 7,505

-68.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 TZS 2,251

$1.70 COP 5,346

-49.41%

Eggs

$2.68 TZS 7,052

$2.87 COP 9,021

-6.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-22.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.26 TZS 5,939

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-79.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-58.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 TZS 7,665

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 TZS 2,919

$1.57 COP 4,940

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 TZS 1,951

$2.13 COP 6,682

-65.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 TZS 1,528

$2.21 COP 6,959

-73.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,565

$2.05 COP 6,435

-52.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 TZS 4,079

$1.50 COP 4,728

3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,946

$1.19 COP 3,740

-37.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 TZS 1,269

$1.16 COP 3,640

-58.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 TZS 5,697

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-44.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-33.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 TZS 4,062

$1.58 COP 4,978

-1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 TZS 3,567

$2.83 COP 8,889

-51.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 TZS 759

$1.17 COP 3,672

-75.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

$1.28 COP 4,038

197.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 TZS 1,951

$2.09 COP 6,576

-64.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 TZS 6,884

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-69.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TZS 3,039

$1.30 COP 4,080

-10.77%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

38.47%

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

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

$176 COP 553.4K

-58.12%

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

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-13.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

62.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-33.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

$6.20 COP 19.5K

55.81%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-84.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-71.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

$136 COP 428.4K

-88.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

$103 COP 324.1K

-87.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 393.4K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-85.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 264.6K

$680 COP 2.1M

-85.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 TZS 534.6K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-89.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 TZS 392.4K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-87.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

$4,111 COP 12.9M

812.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

$1,701 COP 5.3M

579.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 TZS 820.9K

$665 COP 2.1M

-53.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.59%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $150 in Zanzibar 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 113% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $303 – 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 195%, 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 $871 per month in Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% 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 $48.00 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 $581, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.