Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $499 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $795 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,091 in Malindi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 237% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Malindi is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.08 KES 269

285.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$23.48 KES 3,039

103.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.44 KES 1,351

-5.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.70 KES 479

-15.41%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.94 KES 122

103.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.42 KES 54.9

259.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.29 KES 297

36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.22 KES 417

78.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.90 KES 116

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.52 KES 67.5

378.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.27 KES 165

39.37%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.73 KES 224

71.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.15 KES 1,444

-9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.49 KES 711

84.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$4.97 KES 643

187.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.08 KES 270

99.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.75 KES 97.1

114.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.76 KES 228

27.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.70 KES 90.4

221.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.70 KES 91.2

191.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.72 KES 93.4

113.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.61 KES 78.6

91.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.43 KES 55.5

204.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.67 KES 605

-16.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.68 KES 994

82.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.03 KES 263

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.97 KES 384

-3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.01 KES 390

-56.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.76 KES 228

24.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$4.71 KES 610

84.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.39 KES 180

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

130.13%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

198.59%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$55.7 KES 7,205

218.54%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$13.01 KES 1,684

6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$30.64 KES 3,967

-3.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$38.93 KES 5,040

15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.79 KES 1,397

-38.37%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$85.9 KES 11.1K

846.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,448 KES 705.2K

68.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$12.91 KES 1,671

593.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$13.86 KES 1,794

325.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$22.72 KES 2,941

508.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$46.60 KES 6,032

119.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$392 KES 50.7K

381.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-15.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malindi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $170 – making Malindi 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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 237% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $749 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Malindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malindi, where all-in costs run around $499, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Malindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $499 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. 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.