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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Nairobi vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Nairobi vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,900 per month in Nairobi vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Nairobi is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nairobi sits 39% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 KES 509

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-51.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 KES 4,410

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-29.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 KES 803

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-34.08%

Cappuccino

$2.71 KES 351

$2.94 COP 9,040

-7.82%

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

$0.60 KES 78.2

$1.86 COP 5,735

-67.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$1.46 COP 4,479

-61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 309

$3.21 COP 9,882

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-51.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 KES 109

$1.44 COP 4,428

-41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.8

$2.40 COP 7,389

-78.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.70 COP 5,228

10.59%

Eggs

$1.63 KES 211

$2.89 COP 8,896

-43.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 KES 1,366

$10.06 COP 30.9K

5.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 810

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-37.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.13 KES 792

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-56.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 KES 428

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-16.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.58 COP 4,878

-34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 266

$2.15 COP 6,624

-4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$2.30 COP 7,078

-53.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

$2.00 COP 6,169

-44.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.51 COP 4,646

-29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 KES 93.6

$1.20 COP 3,701

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.3

$1.28 COP 3,946

-42.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 KES 452

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,492

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-17.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 KES 288

$1.71 COP 5,256

30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 371

$2.74 COP 8,440

4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.25 COP 3,834

-36.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.54 KES 5,889

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-41.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.31 COP 4,016

21.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.17 COP 6,680

-30.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 380

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-64.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.36 COP 4,172

11.76%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-26.32%

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

$19.4K KES 2.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-46.88%

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

$60.5 KES 7,816

$169 COP 519.2K

-64.17%

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

$15.08 KES 1,950

$13.57 COP 41.8K

11.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.24 KES 4,557

$28.32 COP 87.2K

24.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 KES 6,598

$45.71 COP 140.7K

11.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.83 KES 1,918

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-13.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 KES 990

$6.65 COP 20.5K

15.19%

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

$242 KES 31.3K

$803 COP 2.5M

-69.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

27.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.74 KES 3,458

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-69.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.62 KES 3,313

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-56.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 KES 8,051

$139 COP 427.5K

-55.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 KES 7,905

$102 COP 314.0K

-40.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 KES 58.5K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-57.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 KES 27.8K

$653 COP 2.0M

-67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 KES 146.8K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-41.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 KES 65.7K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-51.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,302 KES 168.4K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-68.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 KES 118.5K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-46.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 KES 62.6K

$655 COP 2.0M

-26.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

10.94

34.46%

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

Last update for Nairobi: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $452 in Nairobi versus $1,071 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 35% 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 $34.00 in Nairobi versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $300 – making Nairobi 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 96%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,253 per month in Nairobi and $2,462 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 $34.00 in Nairobi 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 $836 in Nairobi and $1,641 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 $836, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.