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: $870 in Kigali versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Kigali versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kigali versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Kigali costs roughly 47% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kigali is 37% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 RWF 4,049

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-65.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.30 RWF 44.4K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-37.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RWF 9,869

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-28.56%

Cappuccino

$2.48 RWF 3,632

$2.94 COP 9,040

-15.65%

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

$0.75 RWF 1,096

$1.86 COP 5,735

-59.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 RWF 769

$1.46 COP 4,479

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 RWF 1,456

$3.21 COP 9,882

-69.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 RWF 3,560

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-57.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 RWF 1,170

$1.44 COP 4,428

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RWF 1,510

$2.40 COP 7,389

-57.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 RWF 1,916

$1.70 COP 5,228

-22.94%

Eggs

$1.66 RWF 2,433

$2.89 COP 8,896

-42.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.17 RWF 6,116

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-58.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 RWF 6,419

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-56.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.48 RWF 6,565

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-68.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 RWF 3,460

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-40.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 RWF 1,322

$1.58 COP 4,878

-43.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RWF 2,262

$2.15 COP 6,624

-28.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 RWF 1,513

$2.30 COP 7,078

-55.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 RWF 756

$2.00 COP 6,169

-74.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RWF 1,154

$1.51 COP 4,646

-47.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RWF 1,029

$1.20 COP 3,701

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RWF 1,152

$1.28 COP 3,946

-38.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 RWF 3,002

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-46.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 RWF 14.7K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RWF 1,369

$1.71 COP 5,256

-45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 RWF 2,294

$2.74 COP 8,440

-43.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 RWF 518

$1.25 COP 3,834

-72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.87 RWF 37.9K

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-66.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 RWF 4,089

$1.31 COP 4,016

112.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 RWF 3,029

$2.17 COP 6,680

-5.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 RWF 4,891

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-59.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RWF 2,523

$1.36 COP 4,172

26.47%

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

$25.7K RWF 37.7M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-6.54%

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

$30.1K RWF 44.1M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-17.74%

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

$84.1 RWF 123.3K

$169 COP 519.2K

-50.18%

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

$7.20 RWF 10.6K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.98 RWF 30.8K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-25.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.94 RWF 39.5K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-41.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.35 RWF 6,385

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-74.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 RWF 5,041

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-48.27%

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

$113 RWF 165.2K

$803 COP 2.5M

-85.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,432 RWF 13.8M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

2.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.09 RWF 25.1K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-80.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.57 RWF 22.8K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-73.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$21.86 RWF 32.1K

$139 COP 427.5K

-84.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.79 RWF 49.6K

$102 COP 314.0K

-66.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 RWF 974.2K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-37.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 RWF 627.1K

$653 COP 2.0M

-34.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 RWF 2.1M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-26.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 RWF 1.3M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-17.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,400 RWF 5.0M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-17.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,057 RWF 4.5M

$1,697 COP 5.2M

80.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 RWF 410.1K

$655 COP 2.0M

-57.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

10.94

48.08%

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

Last update for Kigali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Kigali and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 134% 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: $30.00 in Kigali vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $150 vs $300 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 89% 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 134% 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: $664 in Kigali versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% 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 $30.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Kigali versus $1,641 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 $870 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 89% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.