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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $534 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $840 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,147 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 91% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ongata Rongai 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.31 KES 686

12.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$18.98 KES 2,454

75.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.00 KES 905

3.29%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,686

$1.96 KES 253

-16.84%

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

$1.09 COP 3,820

$0.30 KES 38.52

263.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 KES 52.7

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,064

$2.37 KES 307

-26.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.96 KES 383

9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,661

$0.55 KES 70.5

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,514

$0.49 KES 63.7

163.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,616

$1.28 KES 166

3.13%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,926

$1.36 KES 176

66.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.18 KES 540

4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.57 KES 462

64.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.54 KES 458

143.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,842

$1.26 KES 163

78.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,732

$1.04 KES 135

2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,321

$1.18 KES 153

28.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,963

$0.64 KES 83.2

121.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,083

$0.75 KES 97.0

56.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,076

$0.48 KES 62.4

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,095

$0.64 KES 82.6

39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,145

$0.48 KES 62.2

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,835

$2.30 KES 298

-2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.31 KES 1,204

18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,976

$2.28 KES 295

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,299

$2.68 KES 346

-11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,915

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,911

$1.57 KES 203

-10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,633

$1.36 KES 176

39.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.88 KES 372

169.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,508

$1.59 KES 205

-36.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.3M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-17.74%

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

$26.5K COP 92.4M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

32.84%

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

$83.7 COP 292.0K

$34.17 KES 4,418

144.89%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.85 KES 2,179

-43.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$39.20 KES 5,068

-38.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.11 KES 789

-32.90%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$204 KES 26.3K

53.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,009 KES 1.0M

-25.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.5K

$18.31 KES 2,368

216.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$23.90 KES 3,090

36.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.6K

$64.4 KES 8,326

54.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.7K

$57.6 KES 7,442

88.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$156 KES 20.2K

208.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$115 KES 14.8K

230.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$229 KES 29.6K

266.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$235 KES 30.3K

208.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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 8, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $156 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 $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $129 – 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 91%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $800 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 $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 47% 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 $534, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.