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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Kisumu vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $955 per month in Kisumu vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,305 per month in Kisumu vs $2,167 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 55% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 KES 615

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-22.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 KES 3,025

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-28.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 KES 829

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-12.53%

Cappuccino

$2.26 KES 292

$1.72 COP 5,599

31.40%

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

$0.56 KES 71.9

$1.05 COP 3,420

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.1

$0.77 COP 2,515

-29.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 KES 244

$1.69 COP 5,487

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-9.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$1.05 COP 3,423

-51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.0

$1.30 COP 4,236

-59.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 215

$1.40 COP 4,544

18.57%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$2.16 COP 7,046

-21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,487

$4.39 COP 14.3K

162.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 KES 897

$5.88 COP 19.1K

18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 KES 665

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-40.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 406

$2.28 COP 7,425

38.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.11 COP 3,603

-6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 267

$1.53 COP 4,982

35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 131

$1.35 COP 4,410

-24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.13 COP 3,674

-4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.13 COP 3,692

-22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$0.85 COP 2,753

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.91 COP 2,975

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 404

$2.34 COP 7,629

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 KES 998

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-37.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.20 COP 3,909

90.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 297

$2.49 COP 8,104

-7.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.84 COP 2,727

-10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.84 KES 2,952

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-43.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.42 COP 4,623

11.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.92 COP 6,235

-18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-63.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.99 COP 3,223

53.54%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

22.45%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.80%

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

$34.40 KES 4,446

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-57.43%

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

$16.99 KES 2,195

$9.95 COP 32.4K

70.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.89 KES 5,155

$24.18 COP 78.7K

64.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.55 KES 3,043

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-6.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 KES 787

$3.98 COP 13.0K

53.02%

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

$115 KES 14.9K

$305 COP 993.4K

-62.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,154 KES 1.1M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

34.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.50 KES 1,486

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-80.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.04 KES 2,461

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-40.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.22 KES 1,967

$101 COP 327.9K

-84.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.75 KES 2,035

$108 COP 350.8K

-85.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 KES 17.8K

$477 COP 1.6M

-71.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 KES 14.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

-71.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 KES 45.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

-58.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 KES 27.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

-70.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 KES 99.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-76.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$781 KES 100.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

26.62%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $138 in Kisumu versus $477 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 27% 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 $23.00 in Kisumu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $193 – 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 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 $906 per month in Kisumu and $1,546 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 1% 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 $23.00 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 $604, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $604 versus $1,031 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.