Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isiolo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Isiolo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $487 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $813 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,140 in Isiolo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 112% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Isiolo 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.54 KES 715

6.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$30.53 KES 3,940

7.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.89 KES 503

85.09%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.39 KES 309

-28.87%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.28 KES 36.23

292.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.22 KES 28.28

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.38 KES 307

-29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.98 KES 384

4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.88 KES 114

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.42 KES 53.8

197.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.59 KES 205

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.42 KES 183

59.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.77 KES 1,520

-63.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.80 KES 877

-14.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.45 KES 703

62.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.19 KES 411

-29.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.08 KES 139

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.10 KES 271

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.02 KES 131

34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.08 KES 139

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.13 KES 145

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.69 KES 88.4

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.80 KES 104

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.12 KES 403

-25.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.54 KES 1,489

-3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.18 KES 282

-45.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.72 KES 351

-12.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.54 KES 199

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.53 KES 197

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.81 KES 363

185.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.40 KES 180

-32.86%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-18.65%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

32.91%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.61 KES 4,467

142.59%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.03 KES 2,199

-43.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$38.85 KES 5,014

-37.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.17 KES 797

-36.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$201 KES 26.0K

52.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,040 KES 1.0M

-26.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$18.30 KES 2,363

216.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.64 KES 3,051

34.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$65.1 KES 8,405

53.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$56.6 KES 7,300

89.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$782 KES 100.9K

-30.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.84

-9.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Isiolo. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $204, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Isiolo earns 43% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $487 in Isiolo – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $487 in Isiolo versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $487 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.