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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $486 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $750 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,014 in Kiambu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 108% more expensive than Kiambu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kiambu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.16 KES 410

89.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$19.55 KES 2,533

68.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.55 KES 589

55.82%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.91 KES 247

-10.47%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.54 KES 70.2

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.34 KES 43.48

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.76 KES 228

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.26 KES 293

35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.68 KES 88.3

60.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.53 KES 68.1

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.66 KES 216

-16.87%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.36 KES 176

61.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.74 KES 1,522

-62.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.55 KES 848

-14.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$4.15 KES 537

114.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.04 KES 394

-23.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.09 KES 141

-2.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.78 KES 102

92.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.56 KES 72.7

146.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.55 KES 70.7

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.76 KES 98.5

52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.32 KES 41.56

178.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.40 KES 52.0

110.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.01 KES 390

-24.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$11.43 KES 1,481

-6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.19 KES 284

-45.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.79 KES 362

-11.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.56 KES 72.1

53.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.59 KES 207

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.37 KES 48.56

429.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.85 KES 369

171.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.53 KES 198

-37.91%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-17.20%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

34.23%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$28.59 KES 3,704

187.69%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.60 KES 984

25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$29.32 KES 3,799

-17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$11.59 KES 1,502

123.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.64 KES 731

-30.32%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$204 KES 26.5K

51.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,097 KES 1.0M

-26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$6.24 KES 808

840.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$23.84 KES 3,088

35.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$27.40 KES 3,550

274.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$30.38 KES 3,936

256.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$115 KES 14.9K

313.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$92.7 KES 12.0K

308.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$191 KES 24.8K

338.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$146 KES 18.9K

395.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,137 KES 147.2K

145.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$122 KES 15.8K

318.74%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $115 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 319% 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 $20.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $181 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 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 319% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $115 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $204 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 $20.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $486 in Kiambu versus $1,013 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 108% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.