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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $467 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $774 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,082 in Garissa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 121% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.55 KES 846

-5.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.28 KES 3,008

40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.78 KES 359

164.03%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$4.36 KES 563

-60.55%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.15 KES 148

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.68 KES 87.5

13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.88 KES 243

-10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.74 KES 354

15.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.86 KES 111

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.52 KES 66.8

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.10 KES 142

27.27%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.70 KES 219

27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.28 KES 811

-6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.31 KES 557

100.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.03 KES 391

-24.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.35 KES 304

-52.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.14 KES 405

-51.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.68 KES 88.2

98.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.86 KES 112

31.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.13 KES 145

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.66 KES 84.8

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.48 KES 62.1

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.37 KES 306

-1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.65 KES 730

118.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.83 KES 237

-34.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.34 KES 432

-25.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.36 KES 304

-39.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.07 KES 139

-7.48%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$9,144 KES 1.2M

191.20%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$15.34 KES 1,982

426.79%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.96 KES 2,967

5.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$23.01 KES 2,973

9.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$11.45 KES 1,480

407.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$7.86 KES 1,015

309.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$23.53 KES 3,040

328.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$22.86 KES 2,953

371.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$103 KES 13.3K

364.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$76.1 KES 9,831

394.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$193 KES 24.9K

338.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$171 KES 22.1K

326.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$130 KES 16.8K

375.63%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $103 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 376% 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: $193 vs $155 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $467 in Garissa – roughly 121% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $700 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $467 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 $467, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $467 in Garissa to $1,031 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.