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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $256 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $372 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $488 in Bungoma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 302% 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.58 KES 204

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.74 KES 225

83.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.99 KES 128

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.48 KES 62.5

172.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.35 KES 175

-0.74%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.29 KES 166

69.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$3.76 KES 486

126.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.03 KES 393

-22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.13 KES 146

-23.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.51 KES 196

-20.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.74 KES 226

42.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.57 KES 203

22.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$0.74 KES 95.5

950.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.37 KES 178

-26.28%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$29.36 KES 3,799

-18.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$19.09 KES 2,470

-1.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.89 KES 503

5.14%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$62.4 KES 8,077

403.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$11.81 KES 1,529

405.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$38.26 KES 4,950

164.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$19.64 KES 2,542

435.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$116 KES 15.0K

318.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$91.8 KES 11.9K

297.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$266 KES 34.4K

210.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$147 KES 19.1K

395.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 302% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $383 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: $485 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 149% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $315 in Medellin versus $62.4 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $256 in Bungoma versus $1,028 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 302% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.