Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ongata Rongai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ongata Rongai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $552 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $859 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,165 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 205% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ongata Rongai is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$5.47 KES 708

44.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$19.36 KES 2,505

130.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.15 KES 796

51.06%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.95 KES 252

48.72%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.30 KES 38.48

503.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.38 KES 48.96

307.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.37 KES 307

37.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.64 KES 341

122.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.51 KES 65.9

170.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.50 KES 64.2

390.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.29 KES 167

17.05%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.33 KES 172

109.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.37 KES 565

107.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.50 KES 453

204.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$3.53 KES 457

314.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.26 KES 163

215.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.98 KES 127

40.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.17 KES 152

96.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.60 KES 77.7

236.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.75 KES 97.4

178.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.44 KES 57.2

270.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.65 KES 83.8

66.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.45 KES 58.0

177.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.26 KES 292

78.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$9.08 KES 1,174

48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.31 KES 299

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.71 KES 351

10.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.52 KES 197

5.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.52 KES 197

40.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.92 KES 378

191.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.56 KES 202

-13.46%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$19.2K KES 2.5M

47.57%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

82.27%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$57.2 KES 7,398

164.79%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$15.38 KES 1,990

-14.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$34.05 KES 4,406

-5.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.66 KES 991

-16.06%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$238 KES 30.7K

251.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$11.0K KES 1.4M

-19.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$27.22 KES 3,522

228.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$25.02 KES 3,237

121.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$63.9 KES 8,273

113.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$60.8 KES 7,865

79.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$152 KES 19.7K

524.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$114 KES 14.7K

487.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$230 KES 29.7K

779.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$232 KES 30.0K

394.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

14.71

-29.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $152 in Ongata Rongai. 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $128 – making Ongata Rongai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ongata Rongai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 205%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $829 in Ongata Rongai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ongata Rongai, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 132% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ongata Rongai, where all-in costs run around $552, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Ongata Rongai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ongata Rongai – 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 Ongata Rongai. 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.