Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Molo

For one person, living is cheaper in Molo: $546 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Molo, Kenya
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Molo
🇰🇪 Kenya
$546
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Molo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Molo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $546 in Molo, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Molo $546

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $893 in Molo, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Molo $893

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,240 in Molo, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Molo $1,240

Medellin costs about 200% more than Molo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Molo is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Molo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$6.39 KES 829
26.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$34.32 KES 4,455
37.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$6.37 KES 826
49.14%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,734
$2.63 KES 341
14.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$0.70 KES 91.3
157.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,560
$0.61 KES 79.5
131.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$2.35 KES 305
35.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$2.67 KES 347
115.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Molo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,875
$0.89 KES 115
69.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,677
$0.59 KES 76.2
303.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,719
$2.01 KES 261
-11.94%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,332
$1.70 KES 221
70.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$10.99 KES 1,427
-7.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$6.42 KES 834
53.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$6.44 KES 836
117.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$3.47 KES 451
14.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,011
$1.08 KES 140
43.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$2.01 KES 260
8.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,050
$1.15 KES 149
89.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,336
$1.11 KES 144
76.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,131
$1.06 KES 138
50.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,698
$0.75 KES 97.4
53.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.75 KES 97.7
65.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$3.49 KES 453
13.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$11.33 KES 1,471
20.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$2.29 KES 298
-27.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,290
$2.77 KES 360
-18.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Molo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$1.55 KES 202
-18.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,611
$1.51 KES 196
35.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$2.93 KES 380
191.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,348
$1.56 KES 202
-13.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$19.2K KES 2.5M
77.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$21.5K KES 2.8M
60.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Molo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.7K
$55.3 KES 7,179
206.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$15.06 KES 1,955
-10.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$35.56 KES 4,616
-21.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Molo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$7.67 KES 996
-9.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Molo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$279 KES 36.2K
185.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$12.3K KES 1.6M
-25.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Molo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$27.85 KES 3,615
204.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.1K
$28.87 KES 3,748
100.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.7K
$69.2 KES 8,985
94.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$58.4 KES 7,576
67.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Molo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Molo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$378 KES 49.0K
73.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
14.71
-25.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Molo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Molo
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Molo
$209 29.7% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Molo
$106 49.9% $105
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Molo
$124 26.8% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Molo
$83 50.9% $86
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Molo
$9.1 * 90.3% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Molo
$15 * 73.3% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 74% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $34 in Molo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $209 – making Molo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇰🇪 Molo
🕒 Local time
11:45 11:45 AM
19:45 7:45 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
48,356
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Molo 12,370 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Molo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Molo cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 200%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $819 in Molo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Molo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $34 in Molo. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Molo?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Molo?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Molo, where all-in costs run around $546, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Molo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Molo?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $546 in Molo to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Molo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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