Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Nairobi vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Nairobi vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Nairobi vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Nairobi is about 26% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nairobi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 43% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 717

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-9.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 KES 4,973

$32.60 COP 106.1K

18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 858

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-9.54%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KES 322

$1.72 COP 5,599

44.77%

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

$0.70 KES 91.1

$1.05 COP 3,420

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.77 COP 2,515

-35.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 KES 306

$1.69 COP 5,487

39.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.05 COP 3,423

-18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 72.6

$1.30 COP 4,236

-56.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KES 207

$1.40 COP 4,544

14.29%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 216

$2.16 COP 7,046

-22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KES 1,513

$4.39 COP 14.3K

166.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 KES 894

$5.88 COP 19.1K

17.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 KES 729

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 KES 398

$2.28 COP 7,425

35.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.11 COP 3,603

-3.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$1.53 COP 4,982

34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.35 COP 4,410

-22.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.13 COP 3,674

-5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.13 COP 3,692

1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.5

$0.85 COP 2,753

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.91 COP 2,975

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 KES 409

$2.34 COP 7,629

35.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 KES 1,524

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-4.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 285

$1.20 COP 3,909

84.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 365

$2.49 COP 8,104

13.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$0.84 COP 2,727

-10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.90 KES 3,993

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-23.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.42 COP 4,623

7.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 193

$1.92 COP 6,235

-21.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 382

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-61.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.99 COP 3,223

54.55%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

22.44%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-25.78%

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

$33.74 KES 4,360

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-58.25%

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

$16.72 KES 2,160

$9.95 COP 32.4K

68.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.94 KES 5,032

$24.18 COP 78.7K

61.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.13 KES 5,574

$25.08 COP 81.6K

71.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.62 KES 2,665

$19.15 COP 62.3K

7.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 KES 822

$3.98 COP 13.0K

59.80%

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

$205 KES 26.5K

$305 COP 993.4K

-32.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,113 KES 1.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

33.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.49 KES 2,389

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-68.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.69 KES 3,062

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-26.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,310

$101 COP 327.9K

-36.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,185

$108 COP 350.8K

-48.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 KES 56.7K

$477 COP 1.6M

-8.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 KES 24.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

-50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 KES 147.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 KES 55.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-40.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 KES 197.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-52.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$909 KES 117.5K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-33.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 KES 55.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-30.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

13.43

10.50%

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

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Nairobi 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 43% 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 $38.00 in Nairobi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $193 – making Medellin 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

Nairobi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,147 per month in Nairobi 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 Nairobi, 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 $38.00 in Nairobi 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 $765 in Nairobi and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nairobi, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Nairobi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nairobi – 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 Nairobi. 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.