Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nanyuki Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nanyuki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $619 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,007 in Nanyuki, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,396 in Nanyuki, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Nanyuki, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Nanyuki are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Nanyuki 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.00 COP 20.6K
$3.78 KES 489
58.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.84 COP 112.9K
$31.24 KES 4,048
5.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 COP 25.5K
$6.64 KES 861
11.75%
Cappuccino
$1.65 COP 5,675
$1.88 KES 244
-12.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 COP 3,673
$0.75 KES 96.7
42.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 COP 2,614
$0.55 KES 70.7
38.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 COP 5,925
$2.37 KES 307
-27.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 COP 11.0K
$2.84 KES 368
12.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COP 3,607
$0.94 KES 122
11.70%
White Bread (500g)
$1.31 COP 4,492
$0.53 KES 68.1
147.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 COP 4,604
$1.18 KES 153
13.56%
Eggs
$2.19 COP 7,543
$1.52 KES 197
44.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.41 COP 15.2K
$11.47 KES 1,486
-61.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.69 COP 19.6K
$6.92 KES 896
-17.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.52 COP 29.3K
$3.81 KES 493
123.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COP 8,046
$3.15 KES 408
-25.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,815
$1.08 KES 139
2.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 COP 5,225
$2.16 KES 280
-29.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COP 4,694
$1.05 KES 135
30.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COP 3,962
$1.04 KES 134
10.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 COP 4,055
$1.16 KES 151
1.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 COP 2,893
$0.64 KES 83.2
31.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 COP 2,940
$0.75 KES 97.6
14.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.26 COP 7,776
$2.67 KES 345
-15.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.60 COP 39.9K
$11.79 KES 1,527
-1.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 4,121
$1.89 KES 245
-36.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 COP 8,508
$1.97 KES 255
25.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COP 2,729
$0.37 KES 48.17
113.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.83 COP 140.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COP 5,038
$1.59 KES 207
-7.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COP 6,587
$1.55 KES 201
23.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.77 COP 26.7K
$2.96 KES 384
162.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 COP 3,474
$1.15 KES 150
-12.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7K COP 60.7M
$21.8K KES 2.8M
-18.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COP 90.9M
$20.4K KES 2.6M
29.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.1 COP 278.8K
$34.84 KES 4,513
132.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.43 COP 32.4K
$16.55 KES 2,144
-43.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.86 COP 82.0K
$39.74 KES 5,148
-39.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.99 COP 89.4K
$53.3 KES 6,900
-51.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.71 COP 64.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.09 COP 14.1K
$6.16 KES 799
-33.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$315 COP 1.1M
$63.9 KES 8,279
392.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,022 COP 20.7M
$7,788 KES 1.0M
-22.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.7 COP 205.2K
$18.60 KES 2,410
220.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.97 COP 109.9K
$23.95 KES 3,103
33.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COP 347.9K
$65.3 KES 8,462
54.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 COP 361.3K
$57.3 KES 7,428
83.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$485 COP 1.7M
$95.7 KES 12.4K
407.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$365 COP 1.3M
$80.2 KES 10.4K
355.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$827 COP 2.8M
$327 KES 42.3K
152.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.5M
$213 KES 27.6K
242.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,992 COP 10.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,314 COP 4.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nanyuki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$551 COP 1.9M
$116 KES 15.1K
373.11%
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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Nanyuki: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $95.7 in Nanyuki. 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 373% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Nanyuki. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $196 in Nanyuki – so Medellin 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 Nanyuki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nanyuki cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $929 in Nanyuki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanyuki, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nanyuki?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Nanyuki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Nanyuki?
Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nanyuki?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanyuki, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Nanyuki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Nanyuki more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nanyuki – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nanyuki. 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.

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