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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Mombasa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Mombasa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Mombasa vs $2,167 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 54% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-61.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-41.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$7.34 COP 23.9K

19.89%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$1.72 COP 5,592

84.88%

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

$0.48 KES 62.4

$1.05 COP 3,416

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.77 COP 2,511

-37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.69 COP 5,480

15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$1.05 COP 3,418

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$1.30 COP 4,230

-62.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.40 COP 4,538

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$2.16 COP 7,037

-17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

$4.39 COP 14.3K

121.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-39.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$2.28 COP 7,415

-21.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.11 COP 3,599

-18.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.53 COP 4,976

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.35 COP 4,405

-41.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$1.13 COP 3,669

-39.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.13 COP 3,687

-4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$0.85 COP 2,749

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$0.91 COP 2,971

-34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

$2.34 COP 7,619

41.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-35.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 242

$1.20 COP 3,904

56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.49 COP 8,094

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.84 COP 2,724

-10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-13.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$1.42 COP 4,617

114.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.92 COP 6,227

1.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-40.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$0.99 COP 3,219

61.62%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

-33.50%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-55.70%

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

$44.61 KES 5,764

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-44.80%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$9.95 COP 32.3K

45.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,626

$24.18 COP 78.6K

80.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-27.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

$19.15 COP 62.3K

0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$3.98 COP 13.0K

18.34%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$305 COP 992.2K

-71.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-10.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-77.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-57.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$101 COP 327.5K

-76.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,934

$108 COP 350.3K

-57.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$477 COP 1.5M

-62.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-68.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

$845 COP 2.7M

-30.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-36.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.8K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

69.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

178.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$617 COP 2.0M

-47.91%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $477 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 92% 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: $169 vs $193 – 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 67%, 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 $928 per month in Mombasa and $1,546 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 $618 in Mombasa and $1,031 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 $618, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.