Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $443 in Machakos versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $754 in Machakos versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,065 in Machakos versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 56% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos 67% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 303

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-60.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 KES 4,980

$33.33 COP 116.3K

15.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 KES 893

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-4.70%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$1.63 COP 5,687

19.63%

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

$1.09 COP 3,821

-36.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.73 COP 2,548

-30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.74 COP 6,065

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-14.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$1.05 COP 3,662

-61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$1.29 COP 4,515

-65.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.9

$1.32 COP 4,617

-42.42%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.27 COP 7,927

-40.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,490

$4.35 COP 15.2K

164.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 878

$5.88 COP 20.5K

15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 KES 615

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-44.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.25 COP 7,844

-32.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.07 COP 3,733

-29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$1.52 COP 5,322

-75.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.23

$1.42 COP 4,964

-73.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.17 COP 4,084

-31.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.17 COP 4,077

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$0.89 COP 3,096

-26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$0.90 COP 3,146

-57.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 404

$2.25 COP 7,837

38.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,498

$11.04 COP 38.5K

4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$1.14 COP 3,977

73.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$2.38 COP 8,301

15.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 KES 95.2

$1.41 COP 4,912

-48.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.90 COP 6,634

-57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-61.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.01 COP 3,509

49.50%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

24.94%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-25.84%

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-58.63%

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

$7.56 KES 980

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-20.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-51.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$4.10 COP 14.3K

52.93%

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

$46.87 KES 6,077

$312 COP 1.1M

-84.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,961 KES 1.0M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

32.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.72 KES 1,520

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-79.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,091

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-26.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,497

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-34.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 KES 4,962

$109 COP 378.8K

-64.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 KES 12.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-80.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 KES 8,910

$379 COP 1.3M

-81.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

-81.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-83.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 KES 50.9K

$541 COP 1.9M

-27.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

13.43

10.50%

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

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $93.1 in Machakos and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 38% 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: $38.00 in Machakos vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $165 vs $190, with Machakos cheaper for home cooking.

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

Machakos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 129% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Medellin earns 38% 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: $93.1 in Machakos versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $443 per month in Machakos versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $443 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Machakos 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.