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: $542 in Kano versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $866 in Kano versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,190 in Kano versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Kano costs roughly 47% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kano 60% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 ₦4,599

$5.92 COP 21.2K

-42.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.19 ₦13.8K

$33.17 COP 118.7K

-69.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 ₦7,136

$7.25 COP 25.9K

-27.03%

Cappuccino

$4.57 ₦6,170

$1.71 COP 6,137

167.25%

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

$0.44 ₦593

$1.09 COP 3,915

-59.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦524

$0.77 COP 2,743

-49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ₦1,148

$1.75 COP 6,254

-51.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₦1,191

$3.18 COP 11.4K

-72.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.49 ₦4,711

$1.06 COP 3,792

229.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 ₦2,609

$1.30 COP 4,657

48.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₦3,036

$1.38 COP 4,926

63.04%

Eggs

$2.07 ₦2,795

$2.21 COP 7,908

-6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 ₦9,796

$2.29 COP 8,182

217.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₦2,172

$1.06 COP 3,791

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₦1,577

$1.51 COP 5,411

-22.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₦1,577

$1.36 COP 4,869

-13.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,257

$1.16 COP 4,146

107.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.51 ₦4,742

$1.17 COP 4,174

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 ₦488

$0.83 COP 2,960

-56.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₦628

$0.85 COP 3,043

-44.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₦1,121

$2.47 COP 8,853

-66.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ₦1,042

$0.79 COP 2,827

-2.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.75 ₦49.6K

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-12.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 ₦556

$1.03 COP 3,680

-60.19%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

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

$12.16 ₦16.4K

$81.4 COP 291.4K

-85.07%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.32 ₦26.1K

$23.77 COP 85.1K

-18.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.42 ₦45.1K

$25.86 COP 92.6K

29.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 ₦6,263

$4.05 COP 14.5K

14.57%

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

$35.49 ₦47.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

-88.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₦642.1K

$490 COP 1.8M

-2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₦238.6K

$371 COP 1.3M

-52.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₦1.6M

$838 COP 3.0M

40.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₦481.5K

$715 COP 2.6M

-50.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Kano and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $10 in Kano vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 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 90% in total monthly costs ($542 vs $1,030 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $813 in Kano and $1,544 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: $476 in Kano versus $490 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $542 per month in Kano versus $1,030 in Medellin – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 14% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $542 in Kano versus $1,030 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 90% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.