Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nyeri

For one person, living is cheaper in Nyeri: $504 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Nyeri, Kenya
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Nyeri
🇰🇪 Kenya
$504
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Nyeri

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 Nyeri actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $504 in Nyeri, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Nyeri $504

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $864 in Nyeri, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Nyeri $864

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,225 in Nyeri, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Nyeri $1,225

Medellin costs about 226% more than Nyeri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Nyeri is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.6K
$4.73 KES 614
71.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.9K
$34.14 KES 4,431
37.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$6.48 KES 842
46.60%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,540
$1.95 KES 253
54.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,693
$0.30 KES 38.59
500.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,469
$0.56 KES 73.1
151.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
$2.30 KES 298
38.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.2K
$2.73 KES 354
110.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,778
$0.48 KES 62.7
214.58%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,524
$0.52 KES 67.6
357.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,606
$0.91 KES 119
94.51%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,146
$1.74 KES 226
66.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.2K
$10.86 KES 1,410
-6.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.2K
$6.24 KES 810
58.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.3K
$4.69 KES 609
198.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.6K
$0.75 KES 97.3
429.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,911
$0.56 KES 73.0
176.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,907
$0.72 KES 93.7
202.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,910
$0.30 KES 38.51
626.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,210
$0.22 KES 28.37
790.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,029
$0.47 KES 61.1
238.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,625
$0.69 KES 89.2
66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,934
$0.52 KES 67.8
138.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$1.57 KES 204
152.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.3K
$11.76 KES 1,527
16.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,252
$2.23 KES 289
-25.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,145
$2.81 KES 365
-19.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,696
$0.75 KES 97.0
56.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 244.8K
$15.54 KES 2,017
397.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,013
$1.55 KES 202
-18.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,480
$1.12 KES 145
83.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.1K
$1.12 KES 145
663.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,262
$1.42 KES 184
-4.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.8M
$19.3K KES 2.5M
76.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.7M
$21.6K KES 2.8M
60.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 536.8K
$15.58 KES 2,022
988.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.9K
$11.77 KES 1,527
15.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.8K
$34.65 KES 4,498
-18.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 138.3K
$34.01 KES 4,414
28.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.4K
$45.88 KES 5,955
-62.53%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.9K
$7.74 KES 1,004
-10.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$274 KES 35.5K
191.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.8M
$12.3K KES 1.6M
-25.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 268.1K
$11.45 KES 1,486
639.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 183.4K
$13.92 KES 1,807
316.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 427.1K
$34.51 KES 4,480
291.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 309.7K
$18.99 KES 2,465
415.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$94.1 KES 12.2K
1184.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$68.9 KES 8,939
831.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$194 KES 25.2K
945.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$155 KES 20.2K
551.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nyeri
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$231 KES 30.0K
184.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
14.71
-25.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nyeri: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Nyeri
$69 89.3% $573
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Nyeri
$161 45.8% $136
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Nyeri
$62 70.7% $149
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Nyeri
$101 40.4% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Nyeri
$35 79% $133
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Nyeri
$26 72.5% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Nyeri
$49 14% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $94 in Nyeri. 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 2.8 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $34 in Nyeri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $161 – making Nyeri the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇰🇪 Nyeri
🕒 Local time
23:02 11:02 PM
07:02 7:02 AM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
98,908
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 144 KES (1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Nyeri 12,510 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Nyeri

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 Nyeri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nyeri cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 226%, 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 $755 in Nyeri. 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 Nyeri, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $94 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nyeri?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $34 in Nyeri. 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 Nyeri?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $504 in Nyeri. That makes Nyeri about 69% cheaper.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nyeri?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Nyeri, where all-in costs run around $504, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Nyeri it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Nyeri more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nyeri – 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 Nyeri. 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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