Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Mombasa vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Mombasa is about 60% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mombasa sits 50% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-71.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$48.26 COP 152.3K

-52.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

$9.77 COP 30.8K

8.60%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$2.91 COP 9,185

23.71%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$1.94 COP 6,134

-48.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$1.52 COP 4,801

-72.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$3.09 COP 9,759

-26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-43.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$1.36 COP 4,304

-30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$2.39 COP 7,534

-79.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.70 COP 5,366

-7.06%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$2.87 COP 9,056

-36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

$9.94 COP 31.4K

10.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-49.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-63.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-48.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$1.57 COP 4,960

-26.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$2.13 COP 6,708

-15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$2.21 COP 6,985

-70.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$2.05 COP 6,460

-64.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.50 COP 4,747

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$1.19 COP 3,755

-52.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$1.16 COP 3,654

-60.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$3.90 COP 12.3K

15.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-47.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$1.58 COP 4,997

26.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.83 COP 8,923

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$1.17 COP 3,686

-35.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-51.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$1.28 COP 4,054

135.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$2.09 COP 6,602

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$8.62 COP 27.2K

-47.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.30 COP 4,096

20.00%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$27.7K COP 87.3M

-56.32%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-66.85%

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

$55.1 KES 7,124

$176 COP 555.6K

-68.71%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$13.37 COP 42.2K

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$29.89 COP 94.3K

13.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-59.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

$17.06 COP 53.8K

11.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,422

$6.20 COP 19.6K

77.42%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$793 COP 2.5M

-88.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-38.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-84.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-76.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

$136 COP 430.1K

-83.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

$103 COP 325.4K

-55.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-78.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$680 COP 2.1M

-77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-73.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-66.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

$4,111 COP 13.0M

31.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

131.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$665 COP 2.1M

-51.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.83%

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Mombasa versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 107% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Mombasa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $303 – making Mombasa 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

Mombasa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 149%, 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 $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, 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 $23.00 in Mombasa and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $689 in Mombasa and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mombasa – 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 Mombasa. 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.