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: $553 in Kano versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $865 in Kano versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,176 in Kano versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kano costs roughly 45% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kano 58% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₦4,846

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-39.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.40 ₦14.2K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-68.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ₦7,080

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-30.15%

Cappuccino

$4.73 ₦6,448

$1.65 COP 5,276

186.67%

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

$0.43 ₦587

$1.10 COP 3,514

-60.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₦525

$0.78 COP 2,491

-51.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ₦1,170

$1.72 COP 5,484

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₦1,130

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-73.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.50 ₦4,773

$1.10 COP 3,521

218.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ₦2,678

$1.26 COP 4,015

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₦2,972

$1.38 COP 4,407

57.97%

Eggs

$2.17 ₦2,957

$2.18 COP 6,950

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

Apples (1kg)

$6.97 ₦9,507

$2.32 COP 7,405

200.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ₦2,298

$1.06 COP 3,397

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 ₦1,580

$1.52 COP 4,838

-23.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₦1,568

$1.36 COP 4,327

-15.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₦3,259

$1.13 COP 3,599

111.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.58 ₦4,874

$1.17 COP 3,738

205.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ₦459

$0.90 COP 2,876

-62.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦684

$0.90 COP 2,861

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₦1,221

$2.48 COP 7,920

-63.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₦1,129

$0.85 COP 2,723

-2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.04 ₦50.5K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-11.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 ₦607

$0.99 COP 3,160

-54.55%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

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

$12.09 ₦16.5K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-85.44%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.63 ₦26.8K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-16.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.47 ₦47.0K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

36.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 ₦6,499

$3.95 COP 12.6K

20.76%

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

$35.31 ₦48.1K

$316 COP 1.0M

-88.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 ₦639.5K

$475 COP 1.5M

-1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₦244.8K

$374 COP 1.2M

-51.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ₦1.6M

$849 COP 2.7M

38.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₦481.7K

$719 COP 2.3M

-50.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Kano: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Kano and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $10.00 in Kano vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $193 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 81% in total monthly costs ($553 vs $1,003 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $830 in Kano and $1,504 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $469 in Kano versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $553 per month in Kano versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 12% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $553 in Kano versus $1,003 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 81% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.