Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kilifi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kilifi: $634 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kilifi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kilifi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $634 in Kilifi, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Kilifi $634

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,049 in Kilifi, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Kilifi $1,049

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,465 in Kilifi, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Kilifi $1,465

Medellin costs about 155% more than Kilifi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Kilifi is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$1.90 KES 246

317.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$49.32 KES 6,394

-6.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$2.29 KES 297

314.85%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$1.99 KES 257

56.28%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$0.81 KES 105

125.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$0.74 KES 96.2

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

$1.52 KES 196

100.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$1.06 KES 137

36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$0.88 KES 114

168.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$2.01 KES 260

-16.42%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$1.94 KES 251

47.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$7.89 KES 1,023

77.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$2.28 KES 296

78.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$0.70 KES 90.9

114.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$1.79 KES 232

21.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$0.45 KES 57.7

413.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$0.79 KES 103

144.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

$0.79 KES 103

107.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$0.22 KES 28.39

468.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$12.67 KES 1,643

5.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$1.72 KES 222

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

$0.74 KES 95.7

63.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

$26.67 KES 3,457

186.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$1.32 KES 171

-1.52%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

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

$172 COP 545.6K

$15.65 KES 2,029

999.62%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$10.43 KES 1,353

28.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$25.11 KES 3,255

14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

$27.40 KES 3,552

65.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$7.52 KES 974

-16.49%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$160 KES 20.8K

380.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

$4,984 KES 646.1K

80.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

$9.82 KES 1,273

779.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

$8.90 KES 1,154

541.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

$15.50 KES 2,009

780.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

$17.60 KES 2,282

456.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$329 KES 42.7K

220.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$303 KES 39.3K

102.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$273 KES 35.4K

593.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$570 KES 73.9K

79.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$227 KES 29.4K

187.77%

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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Kilifi

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Kilifi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Kilifi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Kilifi

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Kilifi

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Kilifi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Kilifi

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $329 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 188% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Medellin vs $124 in Kilifi – so Kilifi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🕒 Local time

09:50 9:50 AM

17:50 5:50 PM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

122,899

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Kilifi 12,860 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Kilifi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $1,614 in Medellin, $634 in Kilifi – roughly 155% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $951 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 $770 per month in Medellin and $160 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 137% 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 $634, than in Medellin at $1,614. 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 $634 in Kilifi to $1,614 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.