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: $527 in Isiolo versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $876 in Isiolo versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,226 in Isiolo versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 69% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Isiolo is 62% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 718

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-29.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.56 KES 4,472

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 KES 816

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-32.19%

Cappuccino

$2.80 KES 363

$2.90 COP 8,874

-3.45%

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

$0.63 KES 81.8

$1.81 COP 5,541

-65.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 67.9

$1.55 COP 4,741

-65.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$3.25 COP 9,962

-29.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KES 347

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-54.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 KES 110

$1.38 COP 4,230

-38.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$2.45 COP 7,517

-77.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 KES 239

$1.51 COP 4,617

21.85%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 213

$2.78 COP 8,516

-40.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 KES 1,380

$9.05 COP 27.7K

17.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 KES 857

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-37.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 KES 819

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-56.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 409

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-20.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$1.38 COP 4,219

-28.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.30 COP 7,056

-14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 131

$2.02 COP 6,185

-49.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$2.09 COP 6,390

-52.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 KES 123

$1.63 COP 4,996

-41.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$1.08 COP 3,313

-38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$1.25 COP 3,843

-42.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 KES 444

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 KES 1,498

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.60 COP 4,904

43.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 364

$3.00 COP 9,189

-6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.61 COP 4,920

-4.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.13 COP 6,533

-25.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-66.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 KES 180

$1.35 COP 4,142

2.96%

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

$18.7K KES 2.4M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-34.07%

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

$19.3K KES 2.5M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-45.81%

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

$55.7 KES 7,213

$151 COP 463.8K

-63.18%

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

$15.51 KES 2,007

$13.10 COP 40.1K

18.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.29 KES 4,437

$32.30 COP 99.0K

6.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 KES 1,018

$6.43 COP 19.7K

22.40%

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

$240 KES 31.1K

$835 COP 2.6M

-71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K KES 1.4M

$8,887 COP 27.2M

23.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.64 KES 3,447

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-70.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.38 KES 3,285

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-54.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 KES 8,167

$137 COP 418.5K

-53.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 KES 7,736

$109 COP 335.1K

-45.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 KES 98.3K

$625 COP 1.9M

21.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

10.43

41.04%

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

Last update for Isiolo: August 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Isiolo vs $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $297 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 220% 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 21% 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 46% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $527 per month in Isiolo versus $1,687 in Medellin – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $527 in Isiolo versus $1,687 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 $527 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 220% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.