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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $782 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,305 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,828 in Nairobi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$5.35 KES 692

11.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$38.02 KES 4,917

-13.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$6.91 KES 894

2.60%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$2.39 KES 309

-28.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.71 KES 91.8

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.51 KES 65.5

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$2.31 KES 298

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.97 KES 385

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$0.94 KES 121

15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$0.53 KES 68.1

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.64 KES 212

-15.85%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.69 KES 218

29.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$11.74 KES 1,518

-62.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$6.84 KES 884

-17.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$5.44 KES 704

63.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$3.03 KES 392

-22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$1.08 KES 140

-1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$2.08 KES 269

-27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$1.04 KES 135

32.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$1.06 KES 138

8.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$1.15 KES 149

0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.70 KES 90.8

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.79 KES 102

6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$3.04 KES 393

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$11.67 KES 1,509

-8.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$2.22 KES 287

-45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$2.82 KES 364

-12.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.75 KES 96.6

14.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$30.59 KES 3,956

35.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$1.59 KES 205

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$1.50 KES 194

30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$2.88 KES 372

168.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.56 KES 202

-39.10%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-17.62%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

29.73%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$34.70 KES 4,487

137.03%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$16.60 KES 2,147

-42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$39.54 KES 5,113

-38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$43.29 KES 5,598

-40.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$20.63 KES 2,667

-7.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$6.07 KES 785

-35.26%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$202 KES 26.1K

53.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$8,140 KES 1.1M

-26.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$18.28 KES 2,364

220.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$23.56 KES 3,047

37.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$66.4 KES 8,590

54.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$56.7 KES 7,326

91.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$450 KES 58.2K

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$185 KES 23.9K

104.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,134 KES 146.6K

-26.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$417 KES 54.0K

73.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,558 KES 201.5K

79.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$886 KES 114.5K

36.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$416 KES 53.9K

22.90%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $450 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 23% 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: $188 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 29%, 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 $1,174 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $782 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 $782, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.