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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $527 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,226 in Isiolo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 220% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Isiolo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$5.55 KES 718

42.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$34.56 KES 4,472

28.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.30 KES 816

47.46%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.80 KES 363

3.57%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.63 KES 81.8

187.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.53 KES 67.9

192.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.29 KES 296

41.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.68 KES 347

119.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.85 KES 110

62.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.56 KES 73.0

337.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.84 KES 239

-17.93%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.65 KES 213

68.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$10.66 KES 1,380

-15.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.62 KES 857

60.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$6.33 KES 819

131.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.16 KES 409

25.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.99 KES 128

39.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.97 KES 255

16.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.02 KES 131

98.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.00 KES 130

109.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.95 KES 123

71.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.66 KES 84.9

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.72 KES 93.3

73.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.43 KES 444

17.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$11.57 KES 1,498

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.29 KES 297

-30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.81 KES 364

6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.53 KES 198

5.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.58 KES 204

34.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.88 KES 373

195.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.39 KES 180

-2.88%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$18.7K KES 2.4M

51.68%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.3K KES 2.5M

84.55%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$55.7 KES 7,213

171.58%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$15.51 KES 2,007

-15.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$34.29 KES 4,437

-5.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.87 KES 1,018

-18.30%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$240 KES 31.1K

247.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$11.0K KES 1.4M

-19.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$26.64 KES 3,447

235.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$25.38 KES 3,285

117.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$63.1 KES 8,167

116.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$59.8 KES 7,736

82.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$760 KES 98.3K

-17.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

14.71

-29.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $203 per month, with Isiolo cheaper across the board.

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 220% 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, salaries run 21% lower in Isiolo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $527 in Isiolo – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $527 in Isiolo versus $1,687 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 $527 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 220% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.