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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $782 per month in Nairobi vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Nairobi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,828 per month in Nairobi vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Nairobi is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nairobi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 KES 692

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-10.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 KES 4,917

$32.86 COP 118.1K

15.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 KES 894

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-2.54%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 309

$1.71 COP 6,155

39.77%

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

$0.71 KES 91.8

$1.10 COP 3,950

-35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.5

$0.78 COP 2,799

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.68 COP 6,037

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 385

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$1.09 COP 3,931

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$1.26 COP 4,537

-57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KES 212

$1.38 COP 4,955

18.84%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 218

$2.19 COP 7,878

-22.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$4.40 COP 15.8K

166.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 KES 884

$5.63 COP 20.2K

21.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$8.89 COP 32.0K

-38.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 392

$2.34 COP 8,403

29.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.06 COP 3,802

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.50 COP 5,409

38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.38 COP 4,956

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.15 COP 4,138

-7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.16 COP 4,183

-0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.8

$0.89 COP 3,203

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.84 COP 3,016

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$2.28 COP 8,198

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 KES 1,509

$10.64 COP 38.3K

9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.20 COP 4,312

85.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.47 COP 8,882

14.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.86 COP 3,076

-12.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.59 KES 3,956

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-26.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.47 COP 5,298

8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.96 COP 7,055

-23.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 372

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-62.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$0.95 COP 3,431

64.21%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

21.39%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-22.91%

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

$34.70 KES 4,487

$82.3 COP 295.7K

-57.81%

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

$16.60 KES 2,147

$9.50 COP 34.2K

74.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 KES 5,113

$24.23 COP 87.1K

63.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 KES 5,598

$25.89 COP 93.0K

67.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 KES 2,667

$19.00 COP 68.3K

8.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 KES 785

$3.93 COP 14.1K

54.45%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-34.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,140 KES 1.1M

$5,965 COP 21.4M

36.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,364

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-68.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.56 KES 3,047

$32.35 COP 116.3K

-27.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,590

$103 COP 368.8K

-35.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,326

$108 COP 389.7K

-47.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 KES 58.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

-5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 KES 23.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-51.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 KES 146.6K

$838 COP 3.0M

35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 KES 54.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-42.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-44.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 KES 114.5K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

-26.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$416 KES 53.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

-18.63%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Nairobi 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 23% 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 $188 – 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 29%, 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 $1,174 per month in Nairobi 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 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 $782 in Nairobi and $1,013 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 $782, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.