Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $765 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,299 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,832 in Nairobi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.55 KES 717

10.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$38.48 KES 4,973

-15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.64 KES 858

10.54%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.49 KES 322

-30.92%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.70 KES 91.1

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.50 KES 65.0

54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.36 KES 306

-28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.83 KES 366

12.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.86 KES 111

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.56 KES 72.6

132.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.60 KES 207

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.68 KES 216

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.71 KES 1,513

-62.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.91 KES 894

-14.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.64 KES 729

53.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.08 KES 398

-25.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.07 KES 139

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.06 KES 266

-25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.04 KES 135

29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.07 KES 138

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.15 KES 149

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.65 KES 84.5

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 KES 96.6

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.16 KES 409

-25.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.79 KES 1,524

4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.21 KES 285

-45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.83 KES 365

-12.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.75 KES 97.4

12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.90 KES 3,993

31.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.53 KES 198

-7.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.50 KES 193

28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.95 KES 382

159.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.53 KES 198

-35.29%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-18.33%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

34.73%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$33.74 KES 4,360

139.51%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$16.72 KES 2,160

-40.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$38.94 KES 5,032

-37.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$43.13 KES 5,574

-41.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$20.62 KES 2,665

-7.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.36 KES 822

-37.42%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$205 KES 26.5K

48.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,113 KES 1.0M

-25.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.49 KES 2,389

214.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$23.69 KES 3,062

35.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$64.3 KES 8,310

56.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.6 KES 7,185

93.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$438 KES 56.7K

8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$186 KES 24.1K

101.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,142 KES 147.5K

-26.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$432 KES 55.8K

69.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,526 KES 197.2K

110.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$909 KES 117.5K

50.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$431 KES 55.7K

43.09%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $438 in Nairobi. 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 43% 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 $38.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $207 – making Medellin 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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,147 in Nairobi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nairobi, 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 $38.00 in Nairobi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $765 in Nairobi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nairobi, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Nairobi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nairobi – 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 Nairobi. 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.