Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kisii Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kisii

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $309 in Kisii.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $442 in Kisii.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $576 in Kisii.

Living in Medellin is roughly 431% more expensive than in Kisii, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Kisii is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.9K

$2.67 KES 345

201.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.2K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,105

$1.40 KES 181

110.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,776

$0.82 KES 105

126.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,511

$0.22 KES 28.43

563.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,953

$1.83 KES 236

75.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$2.34 KES 302

144.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,460

$0.88 KES 114

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,442

$0.48 KES 62.1

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,265

$2.34 KES 302

-27.35%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,960

$1.83 KES 236

57.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.0K

$4.56 KES 590

211.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,913

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,671

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,129

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,213

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,679

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,727

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,974

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,294

$1.96 KES 253

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,500

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,861

$0.41 KES 52.8

204.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

$15.66 KES 2,026

397.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,045

$0.75 KES 96.4

74.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,728

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,202

$1.55 KES 201

-12.26%

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

$27.5K COP 85.2M

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

$36.5K COP 113.2M

$11.4K KES 1.5M

221.06%

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

$169 COP 523.0K

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$16.47 KES 2,131

-17.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.8K

$49.35 KES 6,383

-42.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$38.45 KES 4,973

1989.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 270.8K

$11.39 KES 1,473

666.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 430.5K

$39.25 KES 5,076

253.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.3K

$30.78 KES 3,981

231.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$78.2 KES 10.1K

735.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$157 KES 20.3K

569.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kisii: September 5, 2026

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 Kisii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisii wins on cost – living expenses run 431% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kisii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $464 in Kisii to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 459% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $309 in Kisii – a 431% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $309 in Kisii versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kisii but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kisii the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kisii delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kisii hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kisii gentler on the wallet – expenses run 431% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.