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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $481 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $806 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,131 in Thika, rent included.

Medellin costs about 114% 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.58 KES 722

7.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$38.20 KES 4,948

-14.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$6.99 KES 905

6.15%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.45 KES 317

-32.65%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.70 KES 90.8

52.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.50 KES 65.1

52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.67 KES 217

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.98 KES 257

61.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$0.92 KES 119

14.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.48 KES 62.1

172.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.34 KES 173

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.42 KES 184

54.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$11.50 KES 1,490

-61.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$6.66 KES 863

-14.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$1.91 KES 248

346.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$3.19 KES 413

-26.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.04 KES 135

6.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.16 KES 279

-29.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.01 KES 130

35.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.03 KES 134

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.11 KES 144

6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.69 KES 89.1

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.81 KES 105

6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$2.27 KES 294

-0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$5.96 KES 772

94.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.67 KES 216

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$1.92 KES 248

29.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.53 KES 198

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.52 KES 197

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$2.98 KES 386

160.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.03 KES 133

-1.94%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-17.95%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

31.72%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$34.32 KES 4,446

136.31%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$16.72 KES 2,167

-43.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$39.29 KES 5,090

-39.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$6.05 KES 784

-32.40%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$205 KES 26.6K

53.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$7,902 KES 1.0M

-23.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$18.41 KES 2,385

224.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$24.10 KES 3,123

32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$64.4 KES 8,342

57.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$57.3 KES 7,422

83.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$624 KES 80.8K

379.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 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 114%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $721 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 $38.00 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 $481, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.