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: $442 in Machakos versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $763 in Machakos versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,085 in Machakos versus $2,143 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 307

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-59.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.19 KES 4,936

$32.96 COP 105.2K

15.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 KES 857

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-10.77%

Cappuccino

$1.89 KES 244

$1.65 COP 5,276

14.55%

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

$0.71 KES 91.6

$1.10 COP 3,514

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.78 COP 2,491

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.72 COP 5,484

13.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$1.10 COP 3,521

-62.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$1.26 COP 4,015

-61.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$1.38 COP 4,407

-44.93%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$2.18 COP 6,950

-37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

$4.49 COP 14.3K

154.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

$5.79 COP 18.5K

13.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-47.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.32 COP 7,405

-34.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.06 COP 3,397

-30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.17

$1.52 COP 4,838

-75.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.78

$1.36 COP 4,327

-72.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.13 COP 3,599

-35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.17 COP 3,738

-32.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

$0.90 COP 2,876

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.00

$0.90 COP 2,861

-58.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$2.23 COP 7,128

39.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,474

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.19 COP 3,793

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$2.48 COP 7,920

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$1.42 COP 4,518

-46.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.95 COP 6,223

-62.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-62.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$0.99 COP 3,160

52.53%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

21.30%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-26.59%

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

$34.06 KES 4,402

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-58.97%

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

$7.77 KES 1,004

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 KES 1,471

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-51.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 778

$3.95 COP 12.6K

52.41%

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

$47.26 KES 6,109

$316 COP 1.0M

-85.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

34.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-80.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.79 KES 3,075

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-25.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,522

$102 COP 324.4K

-35.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 KES 4,937

$107 COP 342.8K

-64.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

-80.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 KES 8,838

$374 COP 1.2M

-81.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.1K

$849 COP 2.7M

-81.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$719 COP 2.3M

-84.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 KES 49.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

-39.15%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 64% 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 $163 vs $193, 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 127% 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 64% 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: $92.3 in Machakos versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $442 per month in Machakos versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $1,003 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 $442 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 127% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.