Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisumu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisumu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Kisumu vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $945 per month in Kisumu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,298 per month in Kisumu vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Kisumu is about 41% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kisumu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Kisumu 56% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 KES 593

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-23.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.50 KES 3,044

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-28.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 KES 878

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-4.37%

Cappuccino

$2.26 KES 293

$1.71 COP 6,115

32.16%

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

$0.60 KES 77.7

$1.10 COP 3,924

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.78 COP 2,781

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.68 COP 5,997

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 KES 370

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 68.3

$1.09 COP 3,906

-51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.4

$1.26 COP 4,508

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 KES 216

$1.38 COP 4,922

21.01%

Eggs

$1.62 KES 209

$2.19 COP 7,827

-26.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 KES 1,530

$4.40 COP 15.7K

168.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 853

$5.63 COP 20.1K

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 KES 666

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-42.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 KES 394

$2.34 COP 8,349

29.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.06 COP 3,777

-2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 KES 281

$1.50 COP 5,374

44.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$1.38 COP 4,924

-27.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.15 COP 4,111

-6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 KES 123

$1.16 COP 4,155

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.6

$0.89 COP 3,182

-28.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.3

$0.84 COP 2,997

-9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 KES 408

$2.28 COP 8,145

38.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 KES 1,027

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.20 COP 4,284

90.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.47 COP 8,824

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.86 COP 3,056

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.22 KES 3,008

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-43.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.47 COP 5,264

6.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.96 COP 7,009

-22.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-61.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.95 COP 3,409

61.05%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

18.77%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-24.52%

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

$34.39 KES 4,455

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-58.19%

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

$16.65 KES 2,157

$9.50 COP 33.9K

75.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.66 KES 5,138

$24.23 COP 86.5K

63.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.91 KES 2,968

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-11.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 KES 781

$3.93 COP 14.0K

53.44%

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

$115 KES 14.9K

$309 COP 1.1M

-62.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,201 KES 1.1M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

37.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.50 KES 1,490

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-80.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.49 KES 2,524

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-39.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.54 KES 2,014

$103 COP 366.4K

-84.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.66 KES 2,028

$108 COP 387.2K

-85.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 KES 17.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-71.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 KES 13.8K

$379 COP 1.4M

-71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 KES 45.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-58.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 KES 28.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

-69.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 KES 100.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-72.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 KES 99.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

50.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Kisumu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Kisumu versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 50% higher in Kisumu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Kisumu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Kisumu vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kisumu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 71% more than Kisumu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Kisumu and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kisumu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Kisumu and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kisumu, where all-in costs run around $593, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Kisumu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $593 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kisumu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.