Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Garissa

For one person, living is cheaper in Garissa: $381 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Garissa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Garissa

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 Garissa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $381 in Garissa, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Garissa $381

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $667 in Garissa, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Garissa $667

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $952 in Garissa, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Garissa $952

Medellin costs about 324% more than Garissa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Garissa is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$11.79 KES 1,528

-32.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$23.02 KES 2,984

100.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$7.73 KES 1,002

-59.77%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$1.88 KES 244

-2.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$1.13 KES 147

22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$0.52 KES 66.9

178.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$0.59 KES 76.9

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$1.47 KES 191

14.29%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$1.92 KES 249

48.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$6.10 KES 791

56.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$5.39 KES 698

160.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$3.78 KES 490

7.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$3.11 KES 403

-51.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$4.69 KES 608

-53.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$0.79 KES 102

192.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$1.22 KES 158

58.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

$1.57 KES 204

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$2.37 KES 307

-52.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$0.56 KES 72.3

123.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$5.71 KES 741

133.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$1.67 KES 217

1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

$3.82 KES 496

-37.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

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

$172 COP 545.6K

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

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

$770 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$129 KES 16.8K

404.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Garissa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Garissa

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Garissa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Garissa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Garissa

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Garissa

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Garissa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Garissa

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 405% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $182 – making Garissa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇰🇪 Garissa

🕒 Local time

16:59 4:59 PM

00:59 12:59 AM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

119,696

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Garissa 12,800 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Garissa

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 Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,614 in Medellin, $381 in Garissa – roughly 324% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $572 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Garissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $381 in Garissa. That's a gap of about 324%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $381, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $381 in Garissa to $1,614 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. 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.