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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $350 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $573 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $796 in Malindi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 195% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Malindi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.14 KES 277

176.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.23 KES 4,030

4.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.59 KES 205

-30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.90 KES 117

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.50 KES 451

-52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.55 KES 458

-12.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.98 KES 127

8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.21 KES 156

14.88%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.99 KES 386

-24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.40 KES 1,471

-62.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.20 KES 800

-5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.94 KES 637

78.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.16 KES 407

-29.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.78 KES 101

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.63 KES 340

-41.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.72 KES 93.2

90.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.75 KES 96.5

50.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.71 KES 92.3

57.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.52 KES 66.8

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.42 KES 184

-33.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$77.1 KES 9,947

8.95%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$30.93 KES 3,992

-21.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.39 KES 4,955

-32.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$386 KES 49.9K

113.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Malindi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $151 – 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 195% more than Malindi, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $525 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $350 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $350, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $350 versus $1,034 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.