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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $763 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,268 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,772 in Nairobi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$5.31 KES 685

15.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$37.93 KES 4,896

-12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$6.65 KES 859

10.08%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$2.44 KES 314

-31.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.70 KES 90.7

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.55 KES 70.4

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$2.31 KES 298

-25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$2.95 KES 380

7.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$0.88 KES 114

26.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$0.57 KES 73.4

129.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.59 KES 205

-13.21%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.68 KES 217

32.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$11.40 KES 1,471

-61.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$6.64 KES 857

-12.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$5.57 KES 718

61.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$3.15 KES 407

-28.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.04 KES 135

6.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$2.17 KES 280

-32.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.02 KES 131

34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$1.02 KES 132

8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$1.13 KES 145

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.70 KES 90.5

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.81 KES 104

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$3.14 KES 405

-25.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$11.65 KES 1,504

-6.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$2.18 KES 281

-44.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$2.75 KES 355

-9.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.76 KES 98.0

3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$31.27 KES 4,036

30.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.52 KES 196

-6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$1.50 KES 194

27.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$2.85 KES 367

168.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.54 KES 199

-37.01%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-17.30%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

29.51%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$34.60 KES 4,466

135.00%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$16.64 KES 2,148

-42.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$39.82 KES 5,140

-38.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$42.27 KES 5,455

-38.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$20.64 KES 2,664

-8.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$6.26 KES 807

-37.86%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$204 KES 26.3K

49.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$7,885 KES 1.0M

-25.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$18.29 KES 2,361

220.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$23.62 KES 3,049

37.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$66.2 KES 8,543

53.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$56.7 KES 7,312

90.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$449 KES 57.9K

5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$184 KES 23.7K

102.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$1,129 KES 145.7K

-24.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$433 KES 55.9K

65.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$1,566 KES 202.1K

83.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$903 KES 116.6K

52.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$406 KES 52.4K

33.38%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $449 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 33% 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 in Medellin versus $38 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $205 – 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 33%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,144 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 $1,014 in Medellin and $763 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 $763, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.