Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $453 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $752 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,051 in Machakos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 128% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Machakos 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.34 KES 302

152.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$38.88 KES 5,018

-15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.85 KES 884

5.11%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.99 KES 257

-14.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.74 KES 95.7

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.50 KES 64.9

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.91 KES 247

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.70 KES 348

14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.38 KES 48.71

178.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.45 KES 57.8

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.81 KES 104

71.60%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.35 KES 175

67.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.65 KES 1,504

-62.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.69 KES 864

-12.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.57 KES 590

93.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.53 KES 197

46.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.73 KES 94.5

47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.41 KES 52.4

273.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.37 KES 48.38

270.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.78 KES 101

44.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.75 KES 97.4

49.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.65 KES 84.0

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.41 KES 52.8

121.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.01 KES 388

-22.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.72 KES 1,512

-5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.98 KES 255

-39.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.73 KES 353

-13.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.75 KES 97.1

92.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.80 KES 104

138.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.97 KES 383

170.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.45 KES 187

-35.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-18.34%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

32.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$33.86 KES 4,370

147.96%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.93 KES 1,023

21.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$11.71 KES 1,511

106.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.05 KES 781

-35.21%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$45.51 KES 5,874

573.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,077 KES 1.0M

-26.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$11.55 KES 1,491

401.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.37 KES 3,145

30.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.4 KES 8,570

50.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$38.37 KES 4,952

179.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$92.4 KES 11.9K

426.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$69.9 KES 9,021

426.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$154 KES 19.8K

437.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$115 KES 14.8K

523.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$389 KES 50.2K

40.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.84

-9.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $92.4 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 40% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Machakos. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $165, with Machakos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 128% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 40% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $92.4 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $453 in Machakos – a 128% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $453 in Machakos versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $453 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Machakos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 128% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.