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: $487 in Isiolo versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $813 in Isiolo versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,140 in Isiolo versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 53% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 64% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 KES 716

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-6.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 KES 3,945

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-6.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.89 KES 503

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-45.97%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 309

$1.70 COP 6,186

40.59%

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

$0.28 KES 36.28

$1.10 COP 3,996

-74.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.32

$0.72 COP 2,625

-69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 307

$1.67 COP 6,067

42.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 385

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-3.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.06 COP 3,837

-16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KES 53.8

$1.25 COP 4,531

-66.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.39 COP 5,060

14.39%

Eggs

$1.42 KES 183

$2.26 COP 8,229

-37.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 KES 1,522

$4.33 COP 15.8K

171.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 KES 878

$5.84 COP 21.2K

16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 KES 704

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-38.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 KES 412

$2.24 COP 8,159

42.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.08 COP 3,911

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$1.53 COP 5,563

37.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.37 COP 4,987

-25.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.13 COP 4,109

-4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$1.12 COP 4,067

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.5

$0.85 COP 3,080

-18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.91 COP 3,305

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$2.33 COP 8,477

33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,491

$11.13 COP 40.5K

3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 282

$1.19 COP 4,342

83.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 351

$2.37 COP 8,617

14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 KES 199

$1.44 COP 5,223

6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.91 COP 6,952

-19.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-64.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 KES 180

$0.94 COP 3,410

48.94%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

22.92%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-24.76%

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

$34.61 KES 4,472

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-58.78%

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

$17.03 KES 2,201

$9.60 COP 34.9K

77.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.85 KES 5,021

$24.16 COP 87.9K

60.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 KES 798

$3.92 COP 14.2K

57.40%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

-34.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,040 KES 1.0M

$5,919 COP 21.5M

35.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.30 KES 2,366

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-68.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.64 KES 3,055

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-25.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 KES 8,416

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 KES 7,309

$107 COP 389.7K

-47.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$782 KES 101.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

43.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

13.43

10.50%

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

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Isiolo vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 112% 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.

Isiolo pays 43% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $487 per month in Isiolo versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $487 in Isiolo versus $1,034 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 $487 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 112% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.