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: $474 in Kiambu versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Kiambu versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,075 in Kiambu versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kiambu costs roughly 71% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kiambu is 66% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 KES 513

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-50.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 KES 4,427

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-29.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 KES 777

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-36.20%

Cappuccino

$2.71 KES 350

$2.94 COP 9,040

-7.82%

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

$0.55 KES 71.3

$1.86 COP 5,735

-70.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.7

$1.46 COP 4,479

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$3.21 COP 9,882

-28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 KES 344

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-53.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 KES 69.6

$1.44 COP 4,428

-62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 65.3

$2.40 COP 7,389

-79.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 KES 244

$1.70 COP 5,228

11.18%

Eggs

$1.42 KES 184

$2.89 COP 8,896

-50.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 KES 1,363

$10.06 COP 30.9K

4.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 KES 814

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-36.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.07 KES 526

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-71.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 KES 420

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-18.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$1.58 COP 4,878

-36.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.8

$2.15 COP 6,624

-64.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.0

$2.30 COP 7,078

-73.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.4

$2.00 COP 6,169

-66.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 KES 93.9

$1.51 COP 4,646

-51.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 KES 38.67

$1.20 COP 3,701

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 52.0

$1.28 COP 3,946

-68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 KES 447

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-10.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.71 COP 5,256

33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 KES 87.6

$1.25 COP 3,834

-45.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.31 COP 4,016

18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 KES 48.15

$2.17 COP 6,680

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-64.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.36 COP 4,172

15.44%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-26.82%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-46.40%

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

$60.0 KES 7,754

$169 COP 519.2K

-64.46%

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

$7.74 KES 1,001

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-42.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 KES 4,599

$28.32 COP 87.2K

25.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 KES 759

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-11.73%

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

$243 KES 31.4K

$803 COP 2.5M

-69.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K KES 1.5M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

24.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.69 KES 3,451

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-69.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.86 KES 3,343

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-56.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 KES 8,269

$139 COP 427.5K

-53.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 KES 7,882

$102 COP 314.0K

-40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.1K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-89.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,149 KES 148.6K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-72.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 KES 15.8K

$655 COP 2.0M

-81.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

10.94

34.46%

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

Last update for Kiambu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Kiambu and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 436% 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: $34.00 in Kiambu vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $300 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 246% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 436% 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 $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $243 in Kiambu versus $803 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 $34.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $474 in Kiambu versus $1,641 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 246% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.