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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $593 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $999 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,405 in Naivasha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 74% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Naivasha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Naivasha 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.31 KES 685

11.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$38.46 KES 4,964

-14.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.00 KES 903

2.86%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.44 KES 315

-30.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.70 KES 90.7

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.50 KES 64.7

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.25 KES 291

-25.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.95 KES 381

5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.94 KES 121

12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.52 KES 67.6

140.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.59 KES 206

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.68 KES 217

34.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.59 KES 1,496

-62.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.79 KES 876

-13.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.68 KES 733

55.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.17 KES 409

-29.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.05 KES 135

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.10 KES 271

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.06 KES 137

29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.07 KES 138

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.17 KES 151

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.68 KES 88.2

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.81 KES 105

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.15 KES 406

-26.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.51 KES 1,486

-3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.28 KES 295

-47.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.83 KES 365

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.52 KES 197

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.50 KES 193

27.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.86 KES 370

180.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.57 KES 202

-40.13%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-17.89%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

32.72%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.07 KES 4,398

146.43%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.95 KES 2,188

-43.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$39.34 KES 5,077

-38.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.04 KES 780

-35.10%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$200 KES 25.8K

53.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,196 KES 1.1M

-27.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$17.94 KES 2,315

222.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.99 KES 3,096

32.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$64.8 KES 8,360

54.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$57.5 KES 7,416

86.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$114 KES 14.7K

325.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$77.6 KES 10.0K

374.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$228 KES 29.5K

261.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$184 KES 23.7K

289.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$757 KES 97.8K

286.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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 27, 2026

Last update for Naivasha: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $114 in Naivasha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Naivasha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 Naivasha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 74%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $890 in Naivasha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Naivasha, where all-in costs run around $593, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.