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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $478 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $795 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,113 in Thika, rent included.

Medellin costs about 116% more than Thika, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.27 KES 680

12.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$39.16 KES 5,055

-16.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.95 KES 898

3.60%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.44 KES 315

-30.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.74 KES 95.7

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.50 KES 64.5

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.73 KES 223

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.98 KES 255

56.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.92 KES 119

15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.44 KES 57.4

184.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.33 KES 171

4.51%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.37 KES 177

64.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.51 KES 1,486

-62.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.86 KES 886

-14.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$1.98 KES 255

345.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.02 KES 390

-25.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.07 KES 138

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.09 KES 270

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.04 KES 134

31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.03 KES 134

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.11 KES 143

0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.69 KES 88.5

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.82 KES 105

10.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.35 KES 303

-0.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.65 KES 730

96.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.73 KES 223

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.91 KES 246

24.08%

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

$1.53 KES 197

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.57 KES 203

21.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.96 KES 382

170.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.02 KES 131

-7.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-18.87%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.7K KES 2.5M

35.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.17 KES 4,410

145.71%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.06 KES 2,202

-43.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$38.97 KES 5,030

-38.00%

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

$6.30 KES 813

-37.78%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$202 KES 26.0K

51.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,948 KES 1.0M

-25.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$18.57 KES 2,397

211.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$24.27 KES 3,132

31.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.5 KES 8,583

50.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$56.7 KES 7,315

89.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$615 KES 79.4K

375.79%

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

11.5

16.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $176 in Thika – so Thika wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 116%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $717 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $478, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.