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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $461 per month in Garissa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $775 per month in Garissa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,089 per month in Garissa vs $2,192 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 66% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 KES 827

$5.99 COP 21.4K

6.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.95 KES 2,974

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-30.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 KES 346

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-62.34%

Cappuccino

$4.16 KES 539

$1.71 COP 6,115

143.27%

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

$1.10 KES 143

$1.10 COP 3,924

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.9

$0.78 COP 2,781

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.68 COP 5,997

13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 109

$1.09 COP 3,906

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 66.3

$1.26 COP 4,508

-59.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.38 COP 4,922

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 214

$2.19 COP 7,827

-24.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KES 819

$5.63 COP 20.1K

12.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 KES 550

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-52.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 408

$2.34 COP 8,349

34.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 KES 296

$1.06 COP 3,777

115.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 KES 399

$1.50 COP 5,374

105.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.4

$1.38 COP 4,924

-53.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.15 COP 4,111

-25.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.16 COP 4,155

-1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.2

$0.89 COP 3,182

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$0.84 COP 2,997

-47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.28 COP 8,145

0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 KES 733

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-46.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 KES 243

$1.20 COP 4,284

55.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KES 414

$2.47 COP 8,824

29.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 KES 299

$1.47 COP 5,264

57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.95 COP 3,409

13.68%

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)

$9,343 KES 1.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-64.72%

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

$15.74 KES 2,040

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-80.86%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.24 KES 3,011

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.82 KES 2,956

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-11.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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)

$11.81 KES 1,531

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-79.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.53 KES 976

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-76.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.75 KES 2,948

$103 COP 366.4K

-77.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.61 KES 3,058

$108 COP 387.2K

-78.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.9 KES 12.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-79.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.2 KES 10.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-79.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-77.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 KES 22.5K

$724 COP 2.6M

-76.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$128 KES 16.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-75.02%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.9 in Garissa 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 300% 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: $154 vs $188 – 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: $461 in Garissa, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 120% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $691 per month in Garissa 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 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 $461 in Garissa and $1,013 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 $461, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $461 in Garissa to $1,013 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.