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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $604 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $955 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,305 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 23% lower, Kisumu 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.76 KES 615

29.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$23.41 KES 3,025

39.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.42 KES 829

14.33%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.26 KES 292

-23.89%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.56 KES 71.9

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.54 KES 70.1

42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.89 KES 244

-10.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.87 KES 371

10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.51 KES 66.5

105.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.53 KES 68.0

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.66 KES 215

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.70 KES 219

27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.51 KES 1,487

-61.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.94 KES 897

-15.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.14 KES 665

68.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.15 KES 406

-27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.04 KES 135

6.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.07 KES 267

-26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.02 KES 131

32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.08 KES 140

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.88 KES 114

28.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.66 KES 84.9

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 KES 96.6

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.12 KES 404

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.72 KES 998

60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.29 KES 296

-47.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.30 KES 297

8.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.75 KES 96.6

12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$22.84 KES 2,952

77.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.58 KES 204

-10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.57 KES 203

22.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.81 KES 364

172.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.52 KES 196

-34.87%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-18.33%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

31.23%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$34.40 KES 4,446

134.91%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.99 KES 2,195

-41.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$39.89 KES 5,155

-39.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.55 KES 3,043

6.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.09 KES 787

-34.65%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$115 KES 14.9K

164.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,154 KES 1.1M

-25.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$11.50 KES 1,486

405.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.04 KES 2,461

69.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$15.22 KES 1,967

561.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$15.75 KES 2,035

584.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$138 KES 17.8K

245.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$109 KES 14.0K

246.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$353 KES 45.7K

139.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$213 KES 27.5K

243.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$772 KES 99.7K

316.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$781 KES 100.9K

-21.03%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 27% 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 $23.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $192 – 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 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $906 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 1% 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $604, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $604 versus $1,031 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.