Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $604 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,064 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,525 in Mombasa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 68% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.37 KES 308

152.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$19.29 KES 2,498

70.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.53 KES 1,106

-16.88%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.25 KES 421

-47.38%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.51 KES 66.3

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.47 KES 61.2

65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.90 KES 246

-11.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.93 KES 380

4.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.81 KES 104

34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.53 KES 69.3

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.44 KES 187

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.73 KES 223

26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.96 KES 1,291

-55.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.82 KES 754

-3.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.24 KES 679

69.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.81 KES 234

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.93 KES 121

13.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.56 KES 202

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.76 KES 98.2

81.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.71 KES 92.4

61.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.05 KES 136

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.67 KES 86.9

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 KES 74.0

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.32 KES 430

-31.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.90 KES 1,023

34.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.94 KES 252

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.73 KES 354

-9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.79 KES 103

8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$35.09 KES 4,546

17.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.02 KES 391

-51.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.95 KES 252

0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.61 KES 597

67.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.60 KES 208

-40.63%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

50.03%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

124.72%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$44.87 KES 5,813

83.31%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$14.07 KES 1,822

-32.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$44.11 KES 5,715

-45.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$18.18 KES 2,356

42.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$18.95 KES 2,455

0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.55 KES 589

-13.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$87.3 KES 11.3K

254.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,325 KES 689.9K

12.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$13.39 KES 1,734

338.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$13.83 KES 1,792

133.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$23.61 KES 3,059

334.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$47.29 KES 6,126

129.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$178 KES 23.0K

167.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$115 KES 14.9K

229.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$605 KES 78.4K

38.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$465 KES 60.2K

55.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$5,402 KES 699.9K

-48.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,839 KES 497.3K

-68.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$318 KES 41.2K

61.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $178 in Mombasa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $170 – making Mombasa 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 Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $907 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $604 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $604, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mombasa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mombasa. 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.