Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $539 in Isiolo versus $1,555 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $876 in Isiolo versus $2,314 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,214 in Isiolo versus $3,072 in Medellin.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 65% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Isiolo is 60% below, Medellin is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 KES 613

$7.59 COP 24.3K

-37.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 KES 4,424

$44.78 COP 143.4K

-23.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 KES 787

$9.24 COP 29.6K

-34.31%

Cappuccino

$2.72 KES 352

$2.95 COP 9,441

-7.80%

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

$0.59 KES 76.5

$1.80 COP 5,769

-67.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 KES 81.8

$1.35 COP 4,322

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 KES 305

$2.93 COP 9,394

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KES 340

$5.46 COP 17.5K

-52.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.43 COP 4,590

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.2

$2.39 COP 7,662

-76.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 KES 250

$1.60 COP 5,127

20.62%

Eggs

$1.67 KES 216

$2.88 COP 9,217

-42.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 KES 1,396

$9.71 COP 31.1K

10.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 KES 839

$9.44 COP 30.2K

-31.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 KES 829

$13.24 COP 42.4K

-51.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 412

$3.75 COP 12.0K

-15.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.45 COP 4,629

-28.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 KES 256

$2.10 COP 6,722

-6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 147

$2.13 COP 6,821

-46.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$1.92 COP 6,161

-42.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.53 COP 4,905

-32.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 87.9

$1.09 COP 3,493

-37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$1.18 COP 3,783

-37.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 KES 457

$3.79 COP 12.1K

-7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 KES 1,480

$13.16 COP 42.2K

-13.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.64 COP 5,254

39.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 KES 363

$2.28 COP 7,294

22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,765

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 235.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.28 COP 4,091

22.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.98 COP 6,333

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 381

$7.89 COP 25.3K

-62.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 185

$1.29 COP 4,145

10.85%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$26.8K COP 85.8M

-20.25%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$34.7K COP 111.1M

-42.20%

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

$61.9 KES 8,020

$158 COP 505.5K

-60.81%

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

$15.49 KES 2,008

$13.39 COP 42.9K

15.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.16 KES 4,559

$27.28 COP 87.4K

28.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 141.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 51.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 KES 1,028

$6.39 COP 20.5K

24.10%

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

$252 KES 32.6K

$777 COP 2.5M

-67.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$8,800 COP 28.2M

33.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.60 KES 3,708

$82.7 COP 265.0K

-65.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.49 KES 3,695

$56.1 COP 179.8K

-49.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 KES 8,926

$131 COP 419.0K

-47.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 KES 7,689

$95.9 COP 307.2K

-38.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.2M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 KES 98.6K

$620 COP 2.0M

22.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

10.94

34.46%

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

Last update for Isiolo: September 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Isiolo vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $285 per month, with Isiolo cheaper across the board.

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

Isiolo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 189% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Isiolo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $539 per month in Isiolo versus $1,555 in Medellin – a 189% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $539 in Isiolo versus $1,555 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $539 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 189% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.