Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kano Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $557 in Kano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $874 in Kano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,190 in Kano.

Living in Medellin is roughly 86% more expensive than Kano, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kano 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.44 ₦4,741

72.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$10.55 ₦14.5K

210.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.49 ₦7,557

31.15%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.83 ₦6,645

-64.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.40 ₦552

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 ₦532

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.86 ₦1,178

94.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$0.89 ₦1,231

248.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$3.44 ₦4,735

-69.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.95 ₦2,684

-35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.27 ₦3,126

-38.77%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.11 ₦2,905

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$7.19 ₦9,900

-68.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.67 ₦2,299

-35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.19 ₦1,644

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.20 ₦1,652

14.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.31 ₦3,178

-51.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.50 ₦4,813

-68.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.34 ₦461

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.49 ₦676

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$0.85 ₦1,167

178.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.85 ₦1,165

-7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$36.78 ₦50.6K

11.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.42 ₦577

123.81%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$12.11 ₦16.7K

593.31%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$19.57 ₦26.9K

23.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$33.65 ₦46.3K

-23.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.74 ₦6,528

-17.30%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$35.02 ₦48.2K

774.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$477 ₦656.6K

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$179 ₦246.4K

105.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,163 ₦1.6M

-29.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$351 ₦482.7K

104.27%

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

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kano: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $477 in Kano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in Kano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $151 per month, with Kano 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 Kano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Kano differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $557 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $836 in Kano to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $477 in Kano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $557 in Kano – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 12% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $557 in Kano versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kano but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kano the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.