Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bungoma

For one person, living is cheaper in Bungoma: $144 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Bungoma, Kenya
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Bungoma
🇰🇪 Kenya
$144
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bungoma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Bungoma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $144 in Bungoma.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Bungoma $144

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $290 in Bungoma.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Bungoma $290

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $436 in Bungoma.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Bungoma $436

Living in Medellin is roughly 1038% more expensive than in Bungoma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Bungoma is 89% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,734
$5.49 KES 712
-45.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,560
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$1.57 KES 204
102.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$1.68 KES 218
242.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,875
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,677
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,719
-
-
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,332
$1.24 KES 161
133.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$3.17 KES 411
25.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,011
$0.97 KES 125
59.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,050
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,336
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,131
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,698
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$1.57 KES 204
5.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,290
$1.68 KES 218
34.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,611
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,348
$1.40 KES 182
-3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.7K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$29.15 KES 3,783
-3.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.1K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.7K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$169 KES 21.9K
499.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bungoma
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Bungoma
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Bungoma
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Bungoma
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Bungoma
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Bungoma
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Bungoma
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Bungoma
–
Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇰🇪 Bungoma
🕒 Local time
12:36 12:36 PM
20:36 8:36 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
60,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Bungoma 12,230 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Bungoma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Bungoma cheaper than Medellin?
Bungoma is about 91% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $216 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.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Bungoma?
Supermarket bills run roughly 685% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Bungoma?
All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $144 in Bungoma – Bungoma is about 91% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Bungoma?
At $144 in Bungoma versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 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.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Bungoma?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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