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: $512 in Machakos versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $788 in Machakos versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Machakos versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 69% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machakos is 63% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.18 KES 411

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-60.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,475

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-60.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 KES 795

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-34.71%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KES 267

$2.94 COP 9,040

-29.59%

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

$0.56 KES 72.8

$1.86 COP 5,735

-69.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.8

$1.46 COP 4,479

-65.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 KES 271

$3.21 COP 9,882

-34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-53.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$1.44 COP 4,428

-72.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 60.9

$2.40 COP 7,389

-80.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.70 COP 5,228

-53.53%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 175

$2.89 COP 8,896

-52.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 KES 1,355

$10.06 COP 30.9K

4.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KES 831

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-35.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 KES 602

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-67.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-61.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.58 COP 4,878

-53.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.3

$2.15 COP 6,624

-81.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.1

$2.30 COP 7,078

-82.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.2

$2.00 COP 6,169

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$1.51 COP 4,646

-50.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.7

$1.20 COP 3,701

-42.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$1.28 COP 3,946

-68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 KES 463

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 KES 1,485

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 KES 254

$1.71 COP 5,256

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 373

$2.74 COP 8,440

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.31 COP 4,016

-39.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.17 COP 6,680

-63.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-64.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.36 COP 4,172

11.03%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-26.57%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-46.34%

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

$60.1 KES 7,775

$169 COP 519.2K

-64.36%

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

$7.94 KES 1,027

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-41.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 KES 1,516

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-58.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.06 KES 4,922

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-16.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 KES 1,023

$6.65 COP 20.5K

18.95%

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

$45.50 KES 5,884

$803 COP 2.5M

-94.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

26.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-86.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.50 KES 3,297

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-57.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 KES 8,293

$139 COP 427.5K

-53.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.12 KES 4,930

$102 COP 314.0K

-62.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.5 KES 12.2K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-91.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.1 KES 9,058

$653 COP 2.0M

-89.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-91.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-89.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$387 KES 50.1K

$655 COP 2.0M

-40.90%

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 Machakos: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $94.5 in Machakos and $1,071 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: $19.00 in Machakos vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $300 per month, with Machakos 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

Machakos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 220% 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, salaries run 69% lower in Medellin. 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: $94.5 in Machakos versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $512 per month in Machakos versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $512 in Machakos versus $1,641 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 $512 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 220% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.