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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $781 in Kigali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,219 in Kigali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,658 in Kigali.

Living in Medellin is roughly 30% more expensive than Kigali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Kigali 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$4.25 RWF 6,202

40.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$28.20 RWF 41.1K

16.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$6.43 RWF 9,386

10.26%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$2.15 RWF 3,142

-20.47%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.83 RWF 1,207

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.52 RWF 756

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$1.02 RWF 1,482

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.11 RWF 3,082

45.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$0.70 RWF 1,026

55.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$1.07 RWF 1,560

17.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.24 RWF 1,816

11.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.69 RWF 2,468

29.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$4.21 RWF 6,144

4.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$4.32 RWF 6,303

30.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$3.69 RWF 5,385

140.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$2.39 RWF 3,483

-2.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$1.02 RWF 1,482

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$1.43 RWF 2,084

4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$1.10 RWF 1,606

25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.48 RWF 707

139.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.78 RWF 1,134

48.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.51 RWF 744

74.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.75 RWF 1,090

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$1.76 RWF 2,565

29.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$10.36 RWF 15.1K

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$0.95 RWF 1,389

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$1.78 RWF 2,598

38.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.37 RWF 533

132.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$27.51 RWF 40.1K

50.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$3.06 RWF 4,460

-51.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$1.40 RWF 2,039

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$3.92 RWF 5,718

97.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.18 RWF 1,728

-19.49%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$26.6K RWF 38.8M

-31.85%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$30.1K RWF 43.9M

-12.00%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$46.68 RWF 68.1K

76.20%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$8.59 RWF 12.5K

10.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$17.98 RWF 26.2K

34.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$28.78 RWF 42.0K

-10.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$3.73 RWF 5,436

409.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$3.43 RWF 5,009

14.58%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$152 RWF 222.1K

103.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$5,049 RWF 7.4M

18.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$17.23 RWF 25.1K

240.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$19.73 RWF 28.8K

63.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$23.90 RWF 34.9K

329.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$31.15 RWF 45.4K

248.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$568 RWF 829.1K

-16.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$357 RWF 521.1K

6.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,077 RWF 1.6M

-22.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$696 RWF 1.0M

3.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,400 RWF 5.0M

-17.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$3,028 RWF 4.4M

-59.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$303 RWF 442.5K

68.78%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kigali: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $568 in Kigali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 69% 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 $28.00 in Kigali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 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 30% 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.

Medellin pays 69% 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 $568 in Kigali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% 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 $28.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $781 in Kigali versus $1,013 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 $781 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 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.