Cost of Living Comparison Between Kano and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kano and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $106 in Kano versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $186 in Kano versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $266 in Kano versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kano costs roughly 94% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kano is 92% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 ₦2,281

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-78.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.75 ₦19.5K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-69.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ₦8,174

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-34.50%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

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

$0.20 ₦267

$1.86 COP 5,735

-89.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₦205

$1.46 COP 4,479

-89.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.31 ₦411

$3.21 COP 9,882

-90.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦416

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-94.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 ₦861

$2.40 COP 7,389

-72.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 ₦716

$1.70 COP 5,228

-68.24%

Eggs

$0.87 ₦1,148

$2.89 COP 8,896

-69.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₦774

$1.28 COP 3,946

-54.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦416

$2.74 COP 8,440

-88.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₦387

$1.25 COP 3,834

-76.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.38 ₦16.4K

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-84.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 ₦687

$1.36 COP 4,172

-61.76%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$7.39 ₦9,798

$169 COP 519.2K

-95.62%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.41 ₦8,498

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-77.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.66 ₦27.4K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-54.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Kano: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $15.00 in Kano vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $20.00 vs $300 per month, with Kano 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

Kano vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kano and Medellin differ by about 1455% in total monthly costs ($106 vs $1,641 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $158 in Kano and $2,462 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Kano – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 529% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $106 in Kano versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kano but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kano the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1455% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.