Cost of Living Comparison Between Kigali and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kigali and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Kigali versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,231 in Kigali versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,673 in Kigali versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kigali costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kigali 41% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 RWF 5,940

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-34.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.39 RWF 40.1K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-15.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 RWF 9,698

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-9.67%

Cappuccino

$2.15 RWF 3,137

$1.72 COP 5,599

25.00%

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

$0.81 RWF 1,184

$1.05 COP 3,420

-22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 RWF 825

$0.77 COP 2,515

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 RWF 1,501

$1.69 COP 5,487

-39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 RWF 3,010

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-35.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 RWF 959

$1.05 COP 3,423

-37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 RWF 1,566

$1.30 COP 4,236

-17.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 RWF 1,859

$1.40 COP 4,544

-9.29%

Eggs

$1.66 RWF 2,425

$2.16 COP 7,046

-23.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 RWF 6,150

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 RWF 6,547

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-23.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.66 RWF 5,359

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-57.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 RWF 3,525

$2.28 COP 7,425

5.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 RWF 1,462

$1.11 COP 3,603

-9.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RWF 2,177

$1.53 COP 4,982

-2.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 RWF 1,606

$1.35 COP 4,410

-18.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 RWF 762

$1.13 COP 3,674

-53.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 RWF 1,188

$1.13 COP 3,692

-28.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 RWF 693

$0.85 COP 2,753

-44.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RWF 1,166

$0.91 COP 2,975

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 RWF 2,598

$2.34 COP 7,629

-23.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 RWF 14.7K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RWF 1,300

$1.20 COP 3,909

-25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 RWF 2,595

$2.49 COP 8,104

-28.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 RWF 493

$0.84 COP 2,727

-59.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.87 RWF 40.7K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-31.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 RWF 4,622

$1.42 COP 4,623

122.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 RWF 2,036

$1.92 COP 6,235

-27.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 RWF 5,647

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 RWF 1,732

$0.99 COP 3,223

19.19%

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

$26.7K RWF 39.1M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

48.22%

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

$29.8K RWF 43.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

12.07%

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

$45.93 RWF 67.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-43.16%

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

$8.60 RWF 12.6K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-13.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 RWF 26.0K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-26.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.54 RWF 41.7K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.88 RWF 5,680

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-79.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 RWF 4,940

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-15.08%

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

$156 RWF 228.3K

$305 COP 993.4K

-48.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,189 RWF 7.6M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-14.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.23 RWF 25.2K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-70.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 RWF 28.1K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-40.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.61 RWF 36.0K

$101 COP 327.9K

-75.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.38 RWF 45.9K

$108 COP 350.8K

-70.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 RWF 837.5K

$477 COP 1.6M

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 RWF 515.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 RWF 1.6M

$845 COP 2.7M

29.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 RWF 1.0M

$730 COP 2.4M

-5.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,380 RWF 4.9M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

5.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,974 RWF 4.3M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

116.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 RWF 438.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

-51.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

13.43

20.63%

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

Last update for Kigali: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $573 in Kigali and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 106% 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: $27.00 in Kigali vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $193 per month, with Kigali 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

Kigali vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kigali wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kigali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 106% 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: $573 in Kigali versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kigali – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $788 in Kigali versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kigali but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kigali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kigali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $788 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kigali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kigali and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kigali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.