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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $253 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $373 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $493 in Bungoma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 296% more expensive than in Bungoma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.58 KES 204

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.75 KES 226

81.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.04 KES 134

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.51 KES 66.3

147.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.29 KES 166

6.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.31 KES 169

66.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$3.80 KES 491

136.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.00 KES 388

-22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.13 KES 146

-20.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.59 KES 205

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.66 KES 215

49.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.53 KES 197

27.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$0.79 KES 103

898.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.36 KES 176

-27.21%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.98 KES 3,746

-18.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$19.59 KES 2,532

-2.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.89 KES 502

1.54%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$61.3 KES 7,925

415.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$11.53 KES 1,490

420.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$38.77 KES 5,010

162.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$19.44 KES 2,512

452.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$117 KES 15.1K

307.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$94.5 KES 12.2K

295.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$275 KES 35.6K

208.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$148 KES 19.1K

387.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $117 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 296% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $380 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: $475 in Medellin versus $117 in Bungoma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $61.3 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $253 in Bungoma versus $1,003 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 296% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.