Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $467 per month in Garissa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Garissa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Garissa vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Garissa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 KES 846

$6.16 COP 20.0K

6.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 KES 3,008

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-28.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 KES 359

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-62.13%

Cappuccino

$4.36 KES 563

$1.72 COP 5,592

153.49%

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

$1.15 KES 148

$1.05 COP 3,416

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.77 COP 2,511

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.69 COP 5,480

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-13.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.05 COP 3,418

-18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.8

$1.30 COP 4,230

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$1.40 COP 4,538

-21.43%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$2.16 COP 7,037

-21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

$5.88 COP 19.1K

6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-50.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$2.28 COP 7,415

32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$1.11 COP 3,599

111.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$1.53 COP 4,976

105.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$1.35 COP 4,405

-49.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.13 COP 3,669

-23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.13 COP 3,687

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$0.85 COP 2,749

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.91 COP 2,971

-47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$2.34 COP 7,619

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 KES 237

$1.20 COP 3,904

52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

$2.49 COP 8,094

34.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

$1.42 COP 4,617

66.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.99 COP 3,219

8.08%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-65.66%

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

$15.34 KES 1,982

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-81.02%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$24.18 COP 78.6K

-5.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 KES 2,973

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-8.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 992.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-80.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.86 KES 1,015

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-75.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.53 KES 3,040

$101 COP 327.5K

-76.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.86 KES 2,953

$108 COP 350.3K

-78.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 KES 13.3K

$477 COP 1.5M

-78.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,831

$376 COP 1.2M

-79.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-77.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 KES 22.1K

$730 COP 2.4M

-76.58%

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)

$130 KES 16.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

-78.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Garissa 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 376% 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 $23.00 in Garissa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $193 – making Garissa 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

Garissa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $467 in Garissa, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 121% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $700 per month in Garissa 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 Garissa, 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 $23.00 in Garissa and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $467 in Garissa and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $467, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $467 in Garissa to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. 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.