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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $593 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $945 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,298 in Kisumu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 71% more than Kisumu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Kisumu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kisumu 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.58 KES 593

30.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$23.50 KES 3,042

39.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.78 KES 877

4.57%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.26 KES 292

-24.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.60 KES 77.6

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.51 KES 65.6

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.95 KES 252

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.85 KES 369

7.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.53 KES 68.2

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.56 KES 72.4

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.67 KES 216

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.62 KES 209

35.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.81 KES 1,529

-62.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.59 KES 852

-14.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$5.14 KES 665

72.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.04 KES 394

-23.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.03 KES 134

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.17 KES 280

-30.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.00 KES 129

38.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.07 KES 139

7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.95 KES 123

22.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.64 KES 82.5

39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.76 KES 98.2

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.15 KES 408

-27.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.93 KES 1,026

34.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.29 KES 296

-47.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.34 KES 302

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.79 KES 102

8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$23.22 KES 3,006

78.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.57 KES 204

-6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.51 KES 196

29.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.97 KES 384

160.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.53 KES 198

-37.91%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-15.80%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

32.49%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$34.39 KES 4,452

139.17%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.65 KES 2,155

-42.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$39.66 KES 5,134

-38.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$22.91 KES 2,966

13.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.03 KES 780

-34.83%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$115 KES 14.9K

168.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,201 KES 1.1M

-27.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$11.50 KES 1,488

410.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$19.49 KES 2,523

65.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$15.54 KES 2,012

560.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$15.66 KES 2,027

592.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$138 KES 17.9K

244.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$107 KES 13.8K

255.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$351 KES 45.5K

138.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$218 KES 28.2K

232.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$772 KES 99.9K

261.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$768 KES 99.5K

-33.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $138 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 50% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Kisumu. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $192 in Kisumu – so Medellin 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 Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 71% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $890 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $24.00 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 $593, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $593 versus $1,013 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.