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: $781 in Kigali versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Kigali versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,658 in Kigali versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Kigali costs roughly 23% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kigali 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.25 RWF 6,202

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-29.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.20 RWF 41.1K

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-14.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 RWF 9,386

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-9.31%

Cappuccino

$2.15 RWF 3,142

$1.71 COP 6,155

25.73%

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

$0.83 RWF 1,207

$1.10 COP 3,950

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 RWF 756

$0.78 COP 2,799

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 RWF 1,482

$1.68 COP 6,037

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RWF 3,082

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-31.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 RWF 1,026

$1.09 COP 3,931

-35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 RWF 1,560

$1.26 COP 4,537

-15.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 RWF 1,816

$1.38 COP 4,955

-10.14%

Eggs

$1.69 RWF 2,468

$2.19 COP 7,878

-22.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.21 RWF 6,144

$4.40 COP 15.8K

-4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 RWF 6,303

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.69 RWF 5,385

$8.89 COP 32.0K

-58.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 RWF 3,483

$2.34 COP 8,403

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 RWF 1,482

$1.06 COP 3,802

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 RWF 2,084

$1.50 COP 5,409

-4.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 RWF 1,606

$1.38 COP 4,956

-20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 RWF 707

$1.15 COP 4,138

-58.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RWF 1,134

$1.16 COP 4,183

-32.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 RWF 744

$0.89 COP 3,203

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RWF 1,090

$0.84 COP 3,016

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 RWF 2,565

$2.28 COP 8,198

-22.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 RWF 15.1K

$10.64 COP 38.3K

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RWF 1,389

$1.20 COP 4,312

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RWF 2,598

$2.47 COP 8,882

-27.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 RWF 533

$0.86 COP 3,076

-56.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 RWF 40.1K

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-33.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 RWF 4,460

$1.47 COP 5,298

108.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 RWF 2,039

$1.96 COP 7,055

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 RWF 5,718

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-49.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 RWF 1,728

$0.95 COP 3,431

24.21%

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

$26.6K RWF 38.8M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

46.73%

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

$30.1K RWF 43.9M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

13.64%

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

$46.68 RWF 68.1K

$82.3 COP 295.7K

-43.25%

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

$8.59 RWF 12.5K

$9.50 COP 34.2K

-9.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.98 RWF 26.2K

$24.23 COP 87.1K

-25.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.78 RWF 42.0K

$25.89 COP 93.0K

11.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.73 RWF 5,436

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-80.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 RWF 5,009

$3.93 COP 14.1K

-12.72%

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

$152 RWF 222.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-50.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,049 RWF 7.4M

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-15.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.23 RWF 25.1K

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-70.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 RWF 28.8K

$32.35 COP 116.3K

-39.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.90 RWF 34.9K

$103 COP 368.8K

-76.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.15 RWF 45.4K

$108 COP 389.7K

-71.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 RWF 829.1K

$476 COP 1.7M

19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 RWF 521.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

-5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 RWF 1.6M

$838 COP 3.0M

28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 RWF 1.0M

$724 COP 2.6M

-3.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,400 RWF 5.0M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

21.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,028 RWF 4.4M

$1,211 COP 4.4M

149.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 RWF 442.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

-40.75%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $568 in Kigali and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 69% 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: $28.00 in Kigali vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $188 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 30% 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, Medellin earns 69% 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: $568 in Kigali versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% 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 $28.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $781 in Kigali versus $1,013 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 $781 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 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.