Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Garissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Garissa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $461 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $775 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,089 in Garissa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Garissa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.38 KES 827

-6.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$22.95 KES 2,974

43.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.67 KES 346

165.54%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.16 KES 539

-58.89%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.10 KES 143

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.68 KES 87.9

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.90 KES 246

-11.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.65 KES 343

15.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.84 KES 109

29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.51 KES 66.3

147.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.15 KES 149

20.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.65 KES 214

32.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.32 KES 819

-10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$4.25 KES 550

109.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.15 KES 408

-25.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.28 KES 296

-53.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.08 KES 399

-51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.64 KES 83.4

115.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.86 KES 112

33.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.14 KES 148

1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.70 KES 90.2

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.44 KES 57.2

90.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.29 KES 297

-0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$5.66 KES 733

87.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.87 KES 243

-35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.20 KES 414

-22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.31 KES 299

-36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.08 KES 140

-12.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$9,343 KES 1.2M

183.48%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$15.74 KES 2,040

422.55%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$23.24 KES 3,011

4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.82 KES 2,956

13.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$11.81 KES 1,531

396.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$7.53 KES 976

329.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$22.75 KES 2,948

350.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$23.61 KES 3,058

359.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$99.9 KES 12.9K

376.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$77.2 KES 10.0K

390.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$191 KES 24.8K

337.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$173 KES 22.5K

317.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$128 KES 16.6K

300.27%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $99.9 in Garissa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 300% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $154 – making Garissa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,013 in Medellin, $461 in Garissa – roughly 120% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $691 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $461 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $461, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $461 in Garissa to $1,013 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.