Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaduna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaduna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $306 in Kaduna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $541 in Kaduna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $776 in Kaduna, rent included.

Medellin costs about 449% more than Kaduna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Kaduna is 78% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.10 ₦1,461

629.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$18.75 ₦24.9K

155.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$1.85 ₦2,452

434.59%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.28 ₦4,364

-4.57%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.21 ₦275

809.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.07 ₦96.7

2057.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$0.47 ₦628

563.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$0.78 ₦1,042

637.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.50 ₦1,990

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.46 ₦609

441.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.69 ₦920

156.52%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.29 ₦1,712

129.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$0.72 ₦955

1298.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$5.14 ₦6,833

96.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$1.86 ₦2,472

668.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.05 ₦2,719

101.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.11 ₦1,470

45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.40 ₦526

462.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.57 ₦764

294.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.71 ₦948

187.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.77 ₦1,026

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.16 ₦210

631.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.14 ₦189

835.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.98 ₦2,625

96.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$1.84 ₦2,448

661.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.18 ₦1,572

47.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.78 ₦2,361

61.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.58 ₦766

125.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.86 ₦1,146

154.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.87 ₦2,484

365.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.55 ₦732

149.09%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$25.9K ₦34.4M

7.43%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$18.5K ₦24.6M

92.97%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$7.57 ₦10.1K

2242.14%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$3.68 ₦4,890

277.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$18.53 ₦24.6K

60.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.79 ₦6,367

38.83%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$45.95 ₦61.0K

1669.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$3,163 ₦4.2M

190.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$5.89 ₦7,829

1419.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$11.12 ₦14.8K

430.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$11.21 ₦14.9K

1132.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$11.22 ₦14.9K

810.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$130 ₦172.1K

719.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$86.6 ₦115.1K

665.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$437 ₦580.5K

332.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$228 ₦302.6K

350.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

22.5

-51.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kaduna: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $130 in Kaduna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Kaduna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $101 – making Kaduna 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 Kaduna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 449% more than Kaduna, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $459 in Kaduna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kaduna, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Kaduna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 200% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kaduna, where all-in costs run around $306, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Kaduna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kaduna costs $306 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kaduna. 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.