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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $442 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $763 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,085 in Machakos.

Living in Medellin is roughly 127% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$2.37 KES 307

149.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$38.19 KES 4,936

-13.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.63 KES 857

12.07%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.89 KES 244

-12.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.71 KES 91.6

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.50 KES 64.4

56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.95 KES 252

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.65 KES 342

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.41 KES 52.8

168.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.48 KES 61.6

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.76 KES 97.7

81.58%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.37 KES 177

59.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$11.41 KES 1,475

-60.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$6.59 KES 851

-12.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$4.68 KES 604

91.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.51 KES 195

53.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$0.74 KES 95.6

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.37 KES 48.17

310.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.38 KES 48.78

257.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.73 KES 94.9

54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.79 KES 102

48.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.66 KES 85.0

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.37 KES 48.00

143.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.12 KES 403

-28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$11.40 KES 1,474

6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.96 KES 253

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.79 KES 361

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.76 KES 98.2

86.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.73 KES 94.8

167.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.94 KES 379

168.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.51 KES 195

-34.44%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-17.56%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$19.7K KES 2.5M

36.23%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$34.06 KES 4,402

143.72%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$7.77 KES 1,004

24.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$11.38 KES 1,471

106.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.02 KES 778

-34.39%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$47.26 KES 6,109

568.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$8,045 KES 1.0M

-25.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$11.59 KES 1,498

417.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$23.79 KES 3,075

33.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$65.9 KES 8,522

54.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$38.20 KES 4,937

181.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$92.3 KES 11.9K

414.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$68.4 KES 8,838

446.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$156 KES 20.1K

445.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$114 KES 14.7K

530.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$380 KES 49.1K

64.35%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 64% 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 $193 vs $163, 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 127% 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.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $92.3 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $442 in Machakos – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $1,003 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 $442 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 127% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.