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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $528 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $837 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,145 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ongata Rongai 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.47 KES 706

8.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$19.55 KES 2,524

67.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.92 KES 893

4.05%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.96 KES 253

-13.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.30 KES 38.47

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.38 KES 48.75

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.36 KES 304

-29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.95 KES 380

5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.50 KES 64.1

112.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.47 KES 60.1

165.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.29 KES 166

7.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.32 KES 170

71.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.38 KES 566

-1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.38 KES 436

72.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$3.53 KES 455

150.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.23 KES 159

82.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.04 KES 135

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.17 KES 151

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.64 KES 82.2

114.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.79 KES 102

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.48 KES 62.0

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.69 KES 89.0

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.48 KES 61.5

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.31 KES 298

0.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.32 KES 1,203

19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.22 KES 287

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.71 KES 349

-12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.58 KES 203

-8.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.35 KES 174

41.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.96 KES 381

170.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.58 KES 204

-40.51%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.3K KES 2.7M

-15.78%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

31.77%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.74 KES 4,484

141.68%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.61 KES 2,144

-42.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$39.23 KES 5,063

-38.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.11 KES 788

-35.84%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$203 KES 26.2K

50.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,013 KES 1.0M

-26.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$18.27 KES 2,358

216.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.24 KES 3,128

31.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$65.5 KES 8,456

52.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$56.4 KES 7,275

90.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$154 KES 19.9K

215.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$116 KES 15.0K

216.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$235 KES 30.3K

252.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$235 KES 30.4K

204.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $154 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Ongata Rongai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 96%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $792 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $20.00 in Ongata Rongai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $528, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.