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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $647 per month in Kisumu vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $976 per month in Kisumu vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,306 per month in Kisumu vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Kisumu is about 62% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Kisumu sits 53% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 KES 490

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-52.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.57 KES 3,308

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-47.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 KES 785

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-37.87%

Cappuccino

$2.62 KES 339

$2.91 COP 9,095

-9.97%

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

$0.56 KES 72.2

$1.94 COP 6,074

-71.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$1.52 COP 4,754

-65.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$3.09 COP 9,663

-36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 KES 340

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-54.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 67.9

$1.36 COP 4,262

-61.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 71.9

$2.39 COP 7,460

-76.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.70 COP 5,314

10.00%

Eggs

$1.64 KES 212

$2.87 COP 8,967

-42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 KES 1,351

$9.94 COP 31.1K

5.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 KES 806

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-42.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.90 KES 633

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-66.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 KES 434

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-17.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.57 COP 4,911

-40.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$2.13 COP 6,642

-3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.21 COP 6,917

-49.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$2.05 COP 6,396

-48.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.50 COP 4,700

-40.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$1.19 COP 3,718

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.5

$1.16 COP 3,619

-34.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-18.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 KES 969

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-48.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 KES 284

$1.58 COP 4,948

39.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.83 COP 8,836

-17.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.17 COP 3,650

-31.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.92 KES 2,964

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-70.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.28 COP 4,014

23.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$2.09 COP 6,537

-28.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-66.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.30 COP 4,056

21.54%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-27.23%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-43.90%

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

$59.9 KES 7,741

$176 COP 550.1K

-66.01%

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

$15.04 KES 1,945

$13.37 COP 41.8K

12.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.28 KES 4,563

$29.89 COP 93.4K

18.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.27 KES 3,010

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-48.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 KES 1,010

$6.20 COP 19.4K

25.97%

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

$116 KES 15.0K

$793 COP 2.5M

-85.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$9,019 COP 28.2M

26.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.43 KES 1,478

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-86.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.11 KES 2,472

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-67.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.76 KES 2,038

$136 COP 425.9K

-88.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.30 KES 1,979

$103 COP 322.2K

-85.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.3K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-85.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 KES 18.2K

$680 COP 2.1M

-79.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 KES 73.5K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-71.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 KES 28.0K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-81.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$787 KES 101.8K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-80.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 KES 100.9K

$665 COP 2.1M

17.31%

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 Kisumu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $157 in Kisumu versus $1,060 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 17% 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 $26.00 in Kisumu versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $303 – making Kisumu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 165% 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 $971 per month in Kisumu and $2,574 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.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kisumu and $48.00 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 $647, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $647 versus $1,716 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.