Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Naivasha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Naivasha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $532 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $876 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,219 in Naivasha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 217% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Naivasha is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$5.30 KES 686

48.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$34.49 KES 4,463

29.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.32 KES 818

46.99%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.84 KES 368

2.11%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.59 KES 76.5

206.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.56 KES 71.9

176.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.28 KES 295

42.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.66 KES 344

121.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.89 KES 115

55.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.52 KES 67.8

371.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.87 KES 241

-19.25%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.70 KES 220

63.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$10.63 KES 1,375

-14.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.40 KES 829

66.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$6.10 KES 789

139.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.27 KES 423

21.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.98 KES 127

40.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.02 KES 262

13.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.01 KES 131

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.02 KES 132

104.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.94 KES 122

73.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.71 KES 91.6

52.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.76 KES 98.9

64.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.55 KES 459

13.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$11.81 KES 1,528

14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.29 KES 296

-30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.70 KES 349

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.58 KES 205

1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.54 KES 199

38.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.84 KES 367

200.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.56 KES 202

-13.46%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$19.0K KES 2.5M

48.97%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.0K KES 2.5M

87.62%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$57.1 KES 7,385

165.25%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$15.48 KES 2,003

-15.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$34.66 KES 4,485

-6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.81 KES 1,011

-17.67%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$236 KES 30.6K

253.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$10.9K KES 1.4M

-18.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$27.61 KES 3,573

223.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$25.16 KES 3,256

119.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$63.6 KES 8,235

114.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$59.8 KES 7,737

82.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$778 KES 100.7K

374.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

14.71

-29.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Naivasha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $203 – making Naivasha 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 Naivasha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 217%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $799 in Naivasha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $34.00 in Naivasha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Naivasha, where all-in costs run around $532, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Naivasha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Naivasha – 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 Naivasha. 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.