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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Mombasa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Mombasa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Mombasa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Mombasa is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mombasa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-60.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-41.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

$7.09 COP 25.3K

20.31%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$1.71 COP 6,115

90.06%

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$1.10 COP 3,924

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.78 COP 2,781

-39.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$1.68 COP 5,997

13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-4.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.09 COP 3,906

-25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$1.26 COP 4,508

-57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.38 COP 4,922

4.35%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$2.19 COP 7,827

-21.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

$4.40 COP 15.7K

126.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$5.63 COP 20.1K

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-41.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$2.34 COP 8,349

-22.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.06 COP 3,777

-12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.50 COP 5,374

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$1.38 COP 4,924

-44.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$1.15 COP 4,111

-38.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.16 COP 4,155

-9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$0.89 COP 3,182

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.84 COP 2,997

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$2.28 COP 8,145

45.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-25.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

$1.20 COP 4,284

61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$2.47 COP 8,824

10.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.86 COP 3,056

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-15.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

$1.47 COP 5,264

105.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.96 COP 7,009

-0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-40.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$0.95 COP 3,409

68.42%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-33.35%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-55.50%

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-45.45%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

$9.50 COP 33.9K

48.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$24.23 COP 86.5K

82.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-29.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-0.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

$3.93 COP 14.0K

15.78%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$309 COP 1.1M

-71.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-10.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-77.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-57.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

$103 COP 366.4K

-76.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

$108 COP 387.2K

-56.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

$476 COP 1.7M

-62.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-69.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

-27.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

-35.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

93.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

216.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

-37.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-3.20%

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

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Mombasa versus $476 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 61% 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $188 – 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 68%, 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 $907 per month in Mombasa and $1,519 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 $19.00 in Mombasa and $33.00 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 $604 in Mombasa and $1,013 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 $604, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.