Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kiambu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kiambu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $489 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $759 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,030 in Kiambu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 111% more expensive than in Kiambu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kiambu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.12 KES 403

97.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$19.07 KES 2,464

70.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.74 KES 613

54.85%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.91 KES 246

-9.95%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.50 KES 64.3

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.36 KES 47.14

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.73 KES 224

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.34 KES 302

35.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.64 KES 82.5

64.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.54 KES 69.2

140.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.66 KES 214

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.29 KES 167

67.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.83 KES 1,529

-62.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.76 KES 874

-13.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.17 KES 539

107.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.06 KES 395

-25.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.07 KES 139

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.81 KES 104

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.59 KES 76.8

128.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.59 KES 75.7

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.76 KES 98.1

48.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.32 KES 41.55

165.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.37 KES 48.13

145.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.01 KES 390

-22.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.50 KES 1,486

7.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.30 KES 298

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.84 KES 367

-12.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.56 KES 72.1

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.53 KES 197

-7.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.41 KES 52.6

368.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.84 KES 367

169.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.52 KES 196

-34.87%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-16.94%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

33.77%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$28.46 KES 3,678

183.94%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.90 KES 1,021

25.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.86 KES 3,730

-16.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$11.68 KES 1,509

114.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.93 KES 767

-32.88%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$201 KES 26.0K

51.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,976 KES 1.0M

-24.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$6.26 KES 809

828.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$23.57 KES 3,045

36.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$26.87 KES 3,473

274.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$30.47 KES 3,937

253.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$117 KES 15.1K

308.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$92.6 KES 12.0K

306.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$191 KES 24.7K

341.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$149 KES 19.3K

389.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,159 KES 149.8K

177.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$123 KES 15.9K

400.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $117 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 401% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $19.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $183 per month, with Kiambu 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 Kiambu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 401% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $117 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $201 in Kiambu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Kiambu versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.