Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiambu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiambu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $486 in Kiambu versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $750 in Kiambu versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,014 in Kiambu versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 52% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kiambu 64% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 KES 410

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-47.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.55 KES 2,533

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-40.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 KES 589

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-35.83%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 247

$1.71 COP 6,115

11.70%

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

$0.54 KES 70.2

$1.10 COP 3,924

-50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KES 43.48

$0.78 COP 2,781

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 KES 228

$1.68 COP 5,997

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-26.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 KES 88.3

$1.09 COP 3,906

-37.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$1.26 COP 4,508

-57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 216

$1.38 COP 4,922

20.29%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.19 COP 7,827

-37.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,522

$4.40 COP 15.7K

166.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 848

$5.63 COP 20.1K

16.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 KES 537

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-53.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 KES 394

$2.34 COP 8,349

29.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.06 COP 3,777

2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 KES 102

$1.50 COP 5,374

-48.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.7

$1.38 COP 4,924

-59.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KES 70.7

$1.15 COP 4,111

-52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.5

$1.16 COP 4,155

-34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 KES 41.56

$0.89 COP 3,182

-64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 52.0

$0.84 COP 2,997

-52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 390

$2.28 COP 8,145

32.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 KES 1,481

$10.64 COP 38.0K

7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 KES 284

$1.20 COP 4,284

82.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 362

$2.47 COP 8,824

12.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 KES 72.1

$0.86 COP 3,056

-34.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 207

$1.47 COP 5,264

8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 KES 48.56

$1.96 COP 7,009

-81.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 369

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-63.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.95 COP 3,409

61.05%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

20.78%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-25.50%

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

$28.59 KES 3,704

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-65.24%

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

$7.60 KES 984

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-20.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.32 KES 3,799

$24.23 COP 86.5K

21.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.59 KES 1,502

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-55.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 KES 731

$3.93 COP 14.0K

43.51%

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

$204 KES 26.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

-33.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,097 KES 1.0M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

35.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.24 KES 808

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-89.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,088

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-26.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.40 KES 3,550

$103 COP 366.4K

-73.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.38 KES 3,936

$108 COP 387.2K

-71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-75.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.7 KES 12.0K

$379 COP 1.4M

-75.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-77.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 KES 18.9K

$724 COP 2.6M

-79.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,137 KES 147.2K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-59.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 KES 15.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

-76.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-18.09%

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

Last update for Kiambu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Kiambu and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 319% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Kiambu vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $188 per month, with Kiambu 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

Kiambu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 319% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $115 in Kiambu versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $204 in Kiambu versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $486 in Kiambu versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.