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: $489 in Kiambu versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $759 in Kiambu versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,030 in Kiambu versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 53% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kiambu 63% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 KES 403

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-49.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 KES 2,464

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-41.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 KES 613

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-35.42%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 246

$1.72 COP 5,600

11.05%

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

$0.50 KES 64.3

$1.05 COP 3,420

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KES 47.13

$0.77 COP 2,515

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.69 COP 5,488

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 302

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-26.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$1.05 COP 3,423

-39.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.2

$1.30 COP 4,236

-58.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 214

$1.40 COP 4,544

18.57%

Eggs

$1.29 KES 167

$2.16 COP 7,047

-40.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 KES 1,529

$4.39 COP 14.3K

169.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 KES 874

$5.88 COP 19.1K

14.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.17 KES 539

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-51.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 395

$2.28 COP 7,426

34.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.11 COP 3,604

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.53 COP 4,983

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 76.8

$1.35 COP 4,410

-56.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KES 75.6

$1.13 COP 3,674

-47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$1.13 COP 3,692

-32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 KES 41.55

$0.85 COP 2,753

-62.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.13

$0.91 COP 2,975

-59.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 389

$2.34 COP 7,630

28.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 KES 1,486

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-7.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 297

$1.20 COP 3,909

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.49 COP 8,104

14.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 KES 72.1

$0.84 COP 2,728

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.42 COP 4,623

7.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 KES 52.6

$1.92 COP 6,235

-78.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 366

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-62.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.99 COP 3,223

53.54%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

20.39%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-25.25%

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

$28.46 KES 3,678

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-64.78%

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

$7.90 KES 1,021

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-20.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.86 KES 3,729

$24.18 COP 78.7K

19.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.68 KES 1,509

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-53.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 KES 767

$3.98 COP 13.0K

48.99%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$305 COP 993.5K

-34.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,976 KES 1.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

31.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.26 KES 809

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-89.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.57 KES 3,045

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-26.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.87 KES 3,472

$101 COP 327.9K

-73.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.47 KES 3,937

$108 COP 350.8K

-71.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.1K

$477 COP 1.6M

-75.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 KES 12.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

-75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

-77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 KES 19.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

-79.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 KES 149.8K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-63.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$123 KES 15.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

-80.04%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Kiambu and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 401% 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: $19.00 in Kiambu vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $193 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 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 401% lower in Medellin. 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: $117 in Kiambu versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Kiambu versus $305 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 $19.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Kiambu versus $1,031 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 111% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.