Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nyamata

For one person, living is cheaper in Nyamata: $569 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Nyamata, Rwanda
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Nyamata
🇷🇼 Rwanda
$569
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Nyamata

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Nyamata actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $569 in Nyamata, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Nyamata $569

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $896 in Nyamata, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Nyamata $896

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,222 in Nyamata, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Nyamata $1,222

Medellin costs about 188% more than Nyamata, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Nyamata is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$2.70 RWF 3,972
199.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$11.81 RWF 17.4K
298.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$6.90 RWF 10.2K
37.68%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$1.68 RWF 2,470
79.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$0.66 RWF 974
172.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$0.35 RWF 519
302.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$1.04 RWF 1,525
205.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$1.66 RWF 2,439
246.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
$0.85 RWF 1,257
77.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
$0.79 RWF 1,164
201.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
$1.32 RWF 1,949
34.09%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
$1.59 RWF 2,337
81.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$3.59 RWF 5,289
183.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$2.78 RWF 4,097
255.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$4.13 RWF 6,078
238.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.39 RWF 3,523
66.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$0.39 RWF 579
297.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
$0.71 RWF 1,041
207.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
$0.56 RWF 826
289.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
$0.49 RWF 719
300.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
$0.73 RWF 1,074
117.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
$0.33 RWF 479
248.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.70 RWF 1,024
77.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$1.31 RWF 1,930
202.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$10.19 RWF 15.0K
34.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$1.00 RWF 1,468
66.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
$1.52 RWF 2,240
48.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
$30.88 RWF 45.4K
150.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$2.53 RWF 3,721
-49.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
$2.04 RWF 3,008
0.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$3.07 RWF 4,515
178.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
$1.23 RWF 1,817
9.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$26.2K RWF 38.5M
30.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$24.0K RWF 35.3M
44.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
$85.5 RWF 125.7K
98.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$7.16 RWF 10.5K
89.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$16.89 RWF 24.8K
66.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$102 RWF 150.1K
-57.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$2.06 RWF 3,036
235.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$112 RWF 164.9K
610.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$9,359 RWF 13.8M
-2.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$17.08 RWF 25.1K
396.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
$15.51 RWF 22.8K
273.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
$22.34 RWF 32.9K
504.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$33.72 RWF 49.6K
190.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$101 RWF 149.0K
1092.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$68.4 RWF 100.6K
838.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$335 RWF 493.3K
504.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$235 RWF 345.9K
330.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nyamata
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$185 RWF 272.6K
254.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
16.2
-32.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nyamata: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Nyamata
$68 89.3% $573
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Nyamata
$126 57.5% $171
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Nyamata
$110 48.2% $102
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Nyamata
$75 55.8% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Nyamata
$40 76.4% $129
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Nyamata
$44 * 53.4% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Nyamata
$106 84.5% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $101 in Nyamata. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Medellin are about 3.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $12 in Nyamata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $126 – making Nyamata the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇷🇼 Nyamata
🕒 Local time
21:35 9:35 PM
04:35 4:35 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
21,509
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RWF, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Rwandan Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,471 RWF (10,000 RWF = 6.8 USD). 1 EUR = 1,643 RWF (10,000 RWF = 6.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Nyamata 11,770 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Nyamata

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nyamata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nyamata cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 188%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $853 in Nyamata. 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 Nyamata, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $101 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nyamata?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $12 in Nyamata. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Nyamata?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $569 in Nyamata. That makes Nyamata about 65% cheaper.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nyamata?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Nyamata, where all-in costs run around $569, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Nyamata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Nyamata more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nyamata – 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 Nyamata. If higher salaries 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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