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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Nairobi vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,268 per month in Nairobi vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Nairobi vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Nairobi is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nairobi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 43% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 KES 685

$6.14 COP 22.2K

-13.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.93 KES 4,896

$33.05 COP 119.3K

14.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 KES 859

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-9.15%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 314

$1.66 COP 5,987

46.99%

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

$0.70 KES 90.7

$1.10 COP 3,987

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 KES 70.4

$0.78 COP 2,822

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 298

$1.71 COP 6,188

35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 KES 380

$3.17 COP 11.5K

-6.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.11 COP 4,012

-20.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$1.31 COP 4,719

-56.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.38 COP 4,980

15.22%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 217

$2.22 COP 8,009

-24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 KES 1,471

$4.34 COP 15.7K

162.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 KES 857

$5.80 COP 20.9K

14.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.57 KES 718

$8.98 COP 32.4K

-37.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 KES 407

$2.26 COP 8,164

39.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.11 COP 4,023

-6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 KES 280

$1.46 COP 5,284

48.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 131

$1.37 COP 4,929

-25.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.11 COP 4,009

-8.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.16 COP 4,199

-2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.5

$0.89 COP 3,211

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 104

$0.87 COP 3,124

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 405

$2.35 COP 8,495

33.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 KES 1,504

$10.86 COP 39.2K

7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 281

$1.20 COP 4,330

81.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 355

$2.48 COP 8,946

10.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.79 COP 2,842

-3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.27 KES 4,036

$40.77 COP 147.2K

-23.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.42 COP 5,137

7.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.91 COP 6,900

-21.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 367

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-62.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 KES 199

$0.97 COP 3,490

58.76%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$18.1K COP 65.3M

20.92%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-22.79%

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

$34.60 KES 4,466

$81.3 COP 293.5K

-57.45%

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

$16.64 KES 2,148

$9.63 COP 34.8K

72.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.82 KES 5,140

$24.36 COP 88.0K

63.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.27 KES 5,455

$26.02 COP 93.9K

62.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.64 KES 2,664

$18.92 COP 68.3K

9.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 KES 807

$3.89 COP 14.0K

60.93%

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

$204 KES 26.3K

$304 COP 1.1M

-32.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,885 KES 1.0M

$5,902 COP 21.3M

33.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.29 KES 2,361

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-68.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.62 KES 3,049

$32.48 COP 117.2K

-27.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 KES 8,543

$102 COP 367.3K

-34.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,312

$108 COP 390.4K

-47.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 KES 57.9K

$474 COP 1.7M

-5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 KES 23.7K

$371 COP 1.3M

-50.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 KES 145.7K

$848 COP 3.1M

33.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 KES 55.9K

$716 COP 2.6M

-39.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,566 KES 202.1K

$2,871 COP 10.4M

-45.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$903 KES 116.6K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

-34.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$406 KES 52.4K

$542 COP 2.0M

-25.02%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Nairobi versus $474 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 33% 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 in Nairobi versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $190 – 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 33%, 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 $1,144 per month in Nairobi and $1,522 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 $763 in Nairobi and $1,014 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 $763, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.