Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bungoma Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bungoma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $260 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $375 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $490 in Bungoma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 298% more expensive than Bungoma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.57 KES 203

6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$1.68 KES 217

84.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.04 KES 134

1.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.48 KES 62.7

160.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.33 KES 172

4.51%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.30 KES 167

73.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$3.66 KES 474

141.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$3.12 KES 403

-28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$1.15 KES 148

-20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.58 KES 204

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$1.69 KES 218

40.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.57 KES 203

21.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$0.75 KES 97.1

969.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.42 KES 184

-33.80%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$29.68 KES 3,836

-18.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$19.26 KES 2,489

-1.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$3.82 KES 493

2.62%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$61.7 KES 7,967

396.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$11.84 KES 1,530

389.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$38.59 KES 4,987

158.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$19.00 KES 2,455

463.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$116 KES 15.0K

318.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$92.7 KES 12.0K

297.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$270 KES 34.8K

206.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$147 KES 19.0K

387.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $116 in Bungoma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Medellin vs Bungoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 298% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $390 in Bungoma to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $116 in Bungoma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 145% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $61.7 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $260 in Bungoma versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bungoma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bungoma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bungoma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bungoma 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 Bungoma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 298% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.