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: $546 in Kano versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $872 in Kano versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,198 in Kano versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Kano costs roughly 46% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kano 59% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ₦4,772

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-41.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.25 ₦13.9K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-69.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ₦7,373

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-25.03%

Cappuccino

$4.77 ₦6,486

$1.63 COP 5,687

192.64%

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

$0.40 ₦549

$1.09 COP 3,821

-63.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₦480

$0.73 COP 2,548

-52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ₦1,149

$1.74 COP 6,065

-51.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₦1,124

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-74.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.55 ₦4,824

$1.05 COP 3,662

238.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ₦2,520

$1.29 COP 4,515

43.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 ₦3,116

$1.32 COP 4,617

73.48%

Eggs

$2.12 ₦2,879

$2.27 COP 7,927

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 ₦9,466

$2.25 COP 7,844

209.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₦2,208

$1.07 COP 3,733

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 ₦1,572

$1.52 COP 5,322

-23.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ₦1,559

$1.42 COP 4,964

-19.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,283

$1.17 COP 4,084

105.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 ₦4,732

$1.17 COP 4,077

197.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ₦458

$0.89 COP 3,096

-61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₦683

$0.90 COP 3,146

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₦1,203

$2.38 COP 8,301

-63.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₦1,115

$0.84 COP 2,916

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.79 ₦48.7K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-14.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 ₦567

$1.01 COP 3,509

-58.42%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$12.08 ₦16.4K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-85.56%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.66 ₦26.7K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-18.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.56 ₦47.0K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

36.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 ₦6,567

$4.10 COP 14.3K

17.80%

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

$35.91 ₦48.8K

$312 COP 1.1M

-88.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ₦649.7K

$482 COP 1.7M

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₦237.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₦1.6M

$837 COP 2.9M

40.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ₦471.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

-52.01%

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)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $478 in Kano and $482 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 $150 vs $190 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 86% in total monthly costs ($546 vs $1,017 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $819 in Kano and $1,525 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: $478 in Kano versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $546 per month in Kano versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 17% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $546 in Kano versus $1,017 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 86% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.