Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $523 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $879 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,235 in Thika, rent included.

Medellin costs about 221% more than Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Thika is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$3.54 KES 458

126.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$34.10 KES 4,412

40.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.19 KES 801

59.77%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.96 KES 253

59.69%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.32 KES 42.02

496.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.59 KES 76.9

155.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.96 KES 253

59.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.18 KES 282

163.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.73 KES 94.6

97.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.48 KES 61.7

418.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.17 KES 151

51.28%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.36 KES 176

117.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.54 KES 1,363

-4.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.27 KES 811

61.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$4.00 KES 517

257.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.52 KES 197

172.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$0.64 KES 83.5

151.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$0.79 KES 102

184.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.14 KES 148

97.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.38 KES 49.09

436.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.44 KES 57.1

250.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.68 KES 88.1

72.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.38 KES 49.12

244.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.72 KES 352

43.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$5.83 KES 755

140.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.82 KES 236

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.88 KES 243

52.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.58 KES 205

-17.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.95 KES 123

130.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$2.93 KES 379

197.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.38 KES 179

-0.72%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

26.75%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

76.09%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$34.61 KES 4,478

412.28%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$15.66 KES 2,026

-11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$35.40 KES 4,581

-16.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$46.60 KES 6,029

-3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$7.63 KES 987

-12.84%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$54.2 KES 7,019

1398.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$3,490 KES 451.6K

163.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$28.29 KES 3,661

216.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$28.06 KES 3,631

110.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$71.0 KES 9,183

94.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$19.23 KES 2,489

431.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$99.0 KES 12.8K

972.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$59.0 KES 7,632

1023.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$275 KES 35.6K

587.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$175 KES 22.6K

487.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$619 KES 80.1K

575.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Thika: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $99.0 in Thika. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $151 – making Thika 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 221%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $785 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thika, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $34.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 101% 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 Thika, where all-in costs run around $523, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Thika it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thika – 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 Thika. 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.