Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kisumu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisumu: $644 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Kisumu
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Kisumu Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$644

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kisumu

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 Kisumu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $644 in Kisumu, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Kisumu $644

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $977 in Kisumu, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Kisumu $977

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $1,311 in Kisumu, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Kisumu $1,311

Medellin costs about 152% more than Kisumu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Kisumu is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$4.65 KES 603

78.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$25.40 KES 3,293

84.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$6.55 KES 849

41.07%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$2.57 KES 334

18.68%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$0.61 KES 79.3

195.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$0.60 KES 78.2

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$1.98 KES 257

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$2.78 KES 360

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$0.52 KES 67.5

188.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$0.52 KES 67.4

355.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$1.96 KES 254

-13.27%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$1.69 KES 219

75.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$10.51 KES 1,363

-2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$6.43 KES 834

51.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$5.07 KES 658

174.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$3.43 KES 444

20.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$0.94 KES 122

62.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$2.07 KES 268

7.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$1.13 KES 147

100.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$1.07 KES 138

85.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$0.96 KES 124

73.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$0.74 KES 95.9

59.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$0.73 KES 94.8

69.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$3.14 KES 407

23.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$7.68 KES 996

79.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$2.27 KES 295

-26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$2.35 KES 305

2.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$0.80 KES 104

55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

$23.09 KES 2,994

238.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$1.52 KES 197

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$1.50 KES 195

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$2.88 KES 373

190.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.61 KES 208

-16.15%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

76.34%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

58.33%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$55.8 KES 7,240

198.44%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$15.35 KES 1,990

-11.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$34.77 KES 4,508

-16.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$23.41 KES 3,036

92.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$7.91 KES 1,025

-11.88%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$115 KES 14.9K

585.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

-26.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$11.77 KES 1,527

645.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$19.06 KES 2,471

205.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$15.63 KES 2,026

789.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$15.63 KES 2,026

532.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$153 KES 19.8K

571.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$138 KES 17.9K

348.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$563 KES 73.0K

234.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$212 KES 27.5K

374.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

$756 KES 98.1K

427.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$758 KES 98.3K

-12.53%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Kisumu

$138 21.5% 77.7% $481

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Kisumu

$189 29.4% 36.6% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Kisumu

$106 16.5% 49.4% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Kisumu

$28 4.3% 83.8% $145

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Kisumu

$108 16.8% 36.8% $63

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Kisumu

$35 5.5% 62.9% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Kisumu

$39 6.1% 33.5% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $153 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 14% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $189 – making Kisumu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇰🇪 Kisumu

🕒 Local time

06:38 6:38 AM

14:38 2:38 PM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,155,574

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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 Kisumu 12,260 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Kisumu

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 Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 152% more than Kisumu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $965 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 58% 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $25.00 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 $644, than in Medellin at $1,625. 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 $644 versus $1,625 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.