Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kisumu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kisumu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $647 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $976 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,306 in Kisumu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Kisumu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Kisumu is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$3.79 KES 490

111.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$25.57 KES 3,308

88.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$6.07 KES 785

60.96%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.62 KES 339

11.07%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.56 KES 72.2

246.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.52 KES 67.0

192.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.96 KES 253

57.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.63 KES 340

118.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.53 KES 67.9

156.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.56 KES 71.9

326.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.87 KES 242

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.64 KES 212

75.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$10.44 KES 1,351

-4.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.23 KES 806

73.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$4.90 KES 633

200.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.36 KES 434

21.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.94 KES 122

67.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.06 KES 266

3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.11 KES 144

99.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.06 KES 137

93.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.89 KES 115

68.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.68 KES 87.8

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.76 KES 98.5

52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.16 KES 409

23.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$7.49 KES 969

92.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$2.20 KES 284

-28.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.34 KES 303

20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.80 KES 103

46.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$22.92 KES 2,964

239.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.58 KES 205

-18.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$1.50 KES 194

39.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$2.86 KES 370

201.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.58 KES 205

-17.72%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

37.43%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

78.24%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$59.9 KES 7,741

194.19%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$15.04 KES 1,945

-11.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$35.28 KES 4,563

-15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$23.27 KES 3,010

92.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$7.81 KES 1,010

-20.61%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$116 KES 15.0K

584.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-20.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$11.43 KES 1,478

648.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$19.11 KES 2,472

205.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$15.76 KES 2,038

764.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$15.30 KES 1,979

573.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$157 KES 20.3K

576.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$141 KES 18.2K

381.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$568 KES 73.5K

253.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$217 KES 28.0K

439.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$787 KES 101.8K

422.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$780 KES 100.9K

-14.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

14.71

-25.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $157 in Kisumu. 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 17% higher in Kisumu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $186 – making Kisumu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 165% more than Kisumu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $971 in Kisumu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 63% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Kisumu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kisumu, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Kisumu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $647 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kisumu. 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.