Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kigali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kigali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $788 in Kigali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,231 in Kigali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,673 in Kigali.

Living in Medellin is roughly 31% more expensive than in Kigali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kigali 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.06 RWF 5,940

51.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.39 RWF 40.1K

19.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.63 RWF 9,698

10.71%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.15 RWF 3,137

-20.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.81 RWF 1,184

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.56 RWF 825

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.03 RWF 1,501

64.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.06 RWF 3,010

53.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.66 RWF 959

59.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.07 RWF 1,566

21.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.27 RWF 1,859

10.24%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.66 RWF 2,425

30.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.21 RWF 6,150

4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.48 RWF 6,547

31.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.66 RWF 5,359

136.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.41 RWF 3,525

-5.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.00 RWF 1,462

11.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.49 RWF 2,177

2.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.10 RWF 1,606

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.52 RWF 762

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.81 RWF 1,188

39.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.47 RWF 693

80.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.80 RWF 1,166

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.78 RWF 2,598

31.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.03 RWF 14.7K

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.89 RWF 1,300

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.77 RWF 2,595

40.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.34 RWF 493

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$27.87 RWF 40.7K

45.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.16 RWF 4,622

-55.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.39 RWF 2,036

38.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.86 RWF 5,647

98.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.18 RWF 1,732

-16.10%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.7K RWF 39.1M

-32.53%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.8K RWF 43.6M

-10.77%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.93 RWF 67.2K

75.94%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.60 RWF 12.6K

15.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$17.77 RWF 26.0K

36.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$28.54 RWF 41.7K

-12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.88 RWF 5,680

393.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.38 RWF 4,940

17.75%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$156 RWF 228.3K

95.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,189 RWF 7.6M

16.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$17.23 RWF 25.2K

237.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.22 RWF 28.1K

67.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$24.61 RWF 36.0K

309.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$31.38 RWF 45.9K

243.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$573 RWF 837.5K

-16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$352 RWF 515.3K

6.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,095 RWF 1.6M

-22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$691 RWF 1.0M

5.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,380 RWF 4.9M

-4.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,974 RWF 4.3M

-53.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$300 RWF 438.9K

105.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.2

-17.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kigali: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $573 in Kigali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 106% 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 $27.00 in Kigali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $147 per month, with Kigali 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 Kigali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kigali wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kigali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 106% 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 $573 in Kigali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kigali – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $788 in Kigali versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kigali but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kigali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kigali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $788 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kigali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kigali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kigali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.