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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $443 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $754 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,065 in Machakos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 129% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.34 KES 303

154.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.41 KES 4,980

-13.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.89 KES 893

4.93%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.95 KES 252

-16.41%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.69 KES 90.1

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.51 KES 65.7

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.88 KES 243

-7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.77 KES 359

16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.40 KES 52.4

162.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.44 KES 56.9

193.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.76 KES 97.9

73.68%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.36 KES 176

66.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.49 KES 1,490

-62.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.77 KES 878

-13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.75 KES 615

81.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.53 KES 198

47.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.75 KES 96.9

42.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.37 KES 48.26

310.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.38 KES 49.23

273.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.80 KES 104

46.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.78 KES 101

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.65 KES 83.7

36.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.38 KES 48.81

136.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.11 KES 404

-27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.55 KES 1,498

-4.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.98 KES 257

-42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.75 KES 356

-13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.73 KES 95.2

93.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.80 KES 103

137.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.96 KES 384

161.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.51 KES 196

-33.11%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-19.96%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

34.84%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$34.62 KES 4,489

141.71%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$7.56 KES 980

25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.64 KES 1,510

107.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.27 KES 813

-34.61%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$46.87 KES 6,077

565.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,961 KES 1.0M

-24.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$11.72 KES 1,520

395.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$23.84 KES 3,091

36.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$65.5 KES 8,497

52.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$38.27 KES 4,962

183.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$93.1 KES 12.1K

417.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$68.7 KES 8,910

452.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$152 KES 19.7K

451.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$118 KES 15.3K

513.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$393 KES 50.9K

37.76%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $93.1 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 38% 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 $38.00 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 129% 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 38% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $93.1 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 $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $443 in Machakos – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,017 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 $443 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 129% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.