Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nakuru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nakuru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $587 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $995 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,403 in Nakuru, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nakuru 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.42 KES 442

75.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$37.95 KES 4,912

-13.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.92 KES 895

2.46%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.70 KES 220

0.59%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.38 KES 48.72

189.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.32 KES 41.52

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.37 KES 177

22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.54 KES 199

99.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.52 KES 67.2

109.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.48 KES 61.9

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.16 KES 150

18.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.32 KES 170

65.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.94 KES 1,027

-44.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.44 KES 834

-12.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$4.19 KES 543

112.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.71 KES 221

36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.44 KES 57.4

140.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.78 KES 230

-15.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.55 KES 71.7

150.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.40 KES 52.3

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.57 KES 73.2

103.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.64 KES 82.7

39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.61 KES 78.5

37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.98 KES 256

15.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.49 KES 1,487

-7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.58 KES 205

-24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.79 KES 232

37.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.79 KES 102

8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$26.55 KES 3,437

55.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.53 KES 198

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.75 KES 96.9

161.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.81 KES 364

175.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.26 KES 163

-24.60%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$12.5K KES 1.6M

44.72%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$14.9K KES 1.9M

78.01%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$31.44 KES 4,069

161.61%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.75 KES 2,169

-43.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$39.81 KES 5,153

-39.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$45.56 KES 5,898

-43.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.39 KES 698

-27.09%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$200 KES 25.9K

54.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,810 KES 493.2K

56.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$18.28 KES 2,366

220.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$23.64 KES 3,060

36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$37.95 KES 4,913

170.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$54.6 KES 7,071

98.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$229 KES 29.6K

107.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$115 KES 14.9K

229.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$384 KES 49.7K

118.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$271 KES 35.0K

167.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.5

7.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $229 in Nakuru. 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 Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $156 in Nakuru – so Nakuru wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nakuru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, 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 $881 in Nakuru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakuru, 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 Nakuru. 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 $587 in Nakuru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $587, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Nakuru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nakuru – 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 Nakuru. 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.