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: $495 in Isiolo versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $814 in Isiolo versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,134 in Isiolo versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 51% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 63% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 KES 722

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-6.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 KES 3,867

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-10.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 KES 503

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-46.33%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 316

$1.63 COP 5,687

49.69%

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

$0.26 KES 33.49

$1.09 COP 3,821

-76.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.28

$0.73 COP 2,548

-67.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$1.74 COP 6,065

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 371

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 107

$1.05 COP 3,662

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KES 53.2

$1.29 COP 4,515

-68.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.32 COP 4,617

20.45%

Eggs

$1.43 KES 185

$2.27 COP 7,927

-37.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 KES 1,489

$4.35 COP 15.2K

163.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 KES 881

$5.88 COP 20.5K

15.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 KES 718

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-35.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 KES 407

$2.25 COP 7,844

39.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 KES 277

$1.52 COP 5,322

40.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.42 COP 4,964

-28.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.17 COP 4,084

-11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 152

$1.17 COP 4,077

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.9

$0.89 COP 3,096

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 97.6

$0.90 COP 3,146

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 KES 397

$2.25 COP 7,837

36.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 KES 1,477

$11.04 COP 38.5K

3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 287

$1.14 COP 3,977

93.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.38 COP 8,301

18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.41 COP 4,912

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.90 COP 6,634

-16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 371

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-63.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 KES 188

$1.01 COP 3,509

43.56%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

22.93%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.38%

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

$34.71 KES 4,500

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-58.52%

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

$16.86 KES 2,186

$9.45 COP 33.0K

78.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.74 KES 5,023

$24.11 COP 84.1K

60.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 KES 781

$4.10 COP 14.3K

47.07%

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

$202 KES 26.2K

$312 COP 1.1M

-35.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,080 KES 1.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

34.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.30 KES 2,372

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-68.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 KES 3,082

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-27.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,491

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-34.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 KES 7,458

$109 COP 378.8K

-47.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 KES 100.6K

$541 COP 1.9M

43.51%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Isiolo vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 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 106% 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 44% 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 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $495 per month in Isiolo versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $495 in Isiolo versus $1,017 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 $495 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 106% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.