Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kilifi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kilifi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $630 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,038 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,446 in Kilifi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 173% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Kilifi is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$1.96 KES 254

309.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$49.48 KES 6,402

-2.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$2.37 KES 307

312.24%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$1.96 KES 254

48.47%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.81 KES 104

139.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.75 KES 96.7

102.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.56 KES 202

98.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.09 KES 141

24.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.83 KES 108

187.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.06 KES 267

-17.48%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.93 KES 250

48.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$7.95 KES 1,028

85.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.34 KES 303

74.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$0.72 KES 93.2

118.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.72 KES 223

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.48 KES 61.7

360.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.80 KES 104

156.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.78 KES 101

92.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.24 KES 31.05

383.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$12.50 KES 1,617

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.72 KES 223

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.78 KES 101

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$26.93 KES 3,485

188.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.38 KES 178

-5.80%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$15.34 KES 1,985

1047.78%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$10.23 KES 1,323

30.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$25.09 KES 3,246

19.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$28.14 KES 3,641

59.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$7.51 KES 971

-17.44%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$161 KES 20.8K

393.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$4,960 KES 641.7K

81.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$9.61 KES 1,243

790.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$9.06 KES 1,172

545.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$15.33 KES 1,983

789.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$17.41 KES 2,252

492.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$328 KES 42.5K

222.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$307 KES 39.8K

121.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$273 KES 35.4K

635.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$564 KES 72.9K

107.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$228 KES 29.4K

192.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

36.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $328 in Kilifi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 192% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $125 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $630 in Kilifi – roughly 173% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $944 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $161 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 143% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kilifi, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Kilifi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $630 in Kilifi to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kilifi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.