Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $499 per month in Malindi vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $795 per month in Malindi vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,091 per month in Malindi vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Malindi is about 70% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Malindi sits 64% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 KES 269

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-74.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 KES 3,039

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-50.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 KES 1,351

$9.89 COP 30.8K

5.56%

Cappuccino

$3.70 KES 479

$3.13 COP 9,767

18.21%

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

$0.94 KES 122

$1.91 COP 5,954

-50.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.9

$1.51 COP 4,712

-72.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$3.12 COP 9,747

-26.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-44.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 116

$1.44 COP 4,509

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.5

$2.49 COP 7,759

-79.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$1.77 COP 5,535

-28.25%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 224

$2.96 COP 9,235

-41.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 KES 1,444

$10.07 COP 31.4K

10.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 KES 711

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-45.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 KES 643

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-65.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 KES 270

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-49.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.1

$1.61 COP 5,019

-53.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 228

$2.25 COP 7,007

-21.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.4

$2.25 COP 7,028

-68.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.2

$2.04 COP 6,375

-65.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.4

$1.54 COP 4,790

-53.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 KES 78.6

$1.17 COP 3,651

-47.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$1.31 COP 4,077

-67.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 KES 605

$3.90 COP 12.2K

19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 KES 994

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-45.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 KES 263

$1.74 COP 5,439

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.87 COP 8,956

3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 390

$1.31 COP 4,084

129.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 KES 228

$2.19 COP 6,825

-19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 KES 610

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-45.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 KES 180

$1.37 COP 4,260

1.46%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-56.55%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-66.51%

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

$55.7 KES 7,205

$177 COP 553.2K

-68.61%

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

$13.01 KES 1,684

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-6.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 KES 3,967

$29.72 COP 92.8K

3.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.93 KES 5,040

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 KES 1,397

$6.65 COP 20.7K

62.26%

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

$85.9 KES 11.1K

$813 COP 2.5M

-89.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 KES 705.2K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-40.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.91 KES 1,671

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-85.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,794

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-76.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.72 KES 2,941

$138 COP 431.2K

-83.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.60 KES 6,032

$102 COP 318.7K

-54.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 KES 50.7K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-79.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.83%

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

Last update for Malindi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $305 – making Malindi 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

Malindi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 237% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $749 per month in Malindi and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malindi, where all-in costs run around $499, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Malindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $499 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. 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.