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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $606 in Nakuru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $996 in Nakuru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,386 in Nakuru, rent included.

Medellin costs about 70% more than Nakuru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nakuru are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Nakuru 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.51 KES 454

75.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$38.94 KES 5,032

-16.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.90 KES 891

6.38%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.72 KES 223

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.37 KES 48.23

183.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.32 KES 41.63

140.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.42 KES 184

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.51 KES 196

109.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.51 KES 66.0

105.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.51 KES 65.7

154.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.15 KES 148

21.74%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.36 KES 176

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.62 KES 985

-42.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.40 KES 827

-8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.30 KES 556

100.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.70 KES 220

34.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.45 KES 57.7

146.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.71 KES 221

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.60 KES 77.8

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.40 KES 51.9

182.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.56 KES 72.4

101.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.65 KES 83.9

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.60 KES 78.1

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.04 KES 264

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.75 KES 1,518

5.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.61 KES 208

-25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.80 KES 233

38.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.76 KES 97.7

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$26.48 KES 3,422

53.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.58 KES 204

-10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.74 KES 95.4

159.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.95 KES 381

159.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.27 KES 164

-22.05%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$12.5K KES 1.6M

44.04%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$14.7K KES 1.9M

81.47%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$30.33 KES 3,920

166.44%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.05 KES 2,204

-41.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$39.44 KES 5,096

-38.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$47.30 KES 6,112

-46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.44 KES 703

-26.84%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$204 KES 26.4K

49.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,922 KES 506.9K

54.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.52 KES 2,394

213.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.31 KES 3,141

32.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$37.95 KES 4,904

165.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$54.9 KES 7,099

96.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$229 KES 29.6K

108.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$115 KES 14.9K

226.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$393 KES 50.8K

114.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$271 KES 35.0K

169.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nakuru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 $39.00 in Nakuru. Groceries tell a different story – $193 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 70%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $908 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 $39.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $606 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 $606, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.