Cost of Living Comparison Between Naivasha and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Naivasha and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $586 per month in Naivasha vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $997 per month in Naivasha vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,408 per month in Naivasha vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Naivasha is about 42% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Naivasha and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Naivasha 56% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 KES 721

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-6.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.24 KES 4,958

$33.33 COP 116.3K

14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 KES 878

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-6.36%

Cappuccino

$2.41 KES 312

$1.63 COP 5,687

47.85%

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

$0.70 KES 91.2

$1.09 COP 3,821

-35.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.9

$0.73 COP 2,548

-26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 296

$1.74 COP 6,065

31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 366

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-12.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.05 COP 3,662

-16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.6

$1.29 COP 4,515

-55.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 KES 209

$1.32 COP 4,617

21.97%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$2.27 COP 7,927

-24.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 KES 1,500

$4.35 COP 15.2K

165.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 KES 867

$5.88 COP 20.5K

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.56 KES 721

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-35.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 410

$2.25 COP 7,844

40.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.07 COP 3,733

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.52 COP 5,322

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$1.42 COP 4,964

-29.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.17 COP 4,084

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.17 COP 4,077

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.8

$0.89 COP 3,096

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$0.90 COP 3,146

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 KES 397

$2.25 COP 7,837

36.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 KES 1,474

$11.04 COP 38.5K

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

$1.14 COP 3,977

98.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 353

$2.38 COP 8,301

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.41 COP 4,912

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.90 COP 6,634

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 379

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-62.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.01 COP 3,509

55.45%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

21.16%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.80%

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-58.63%

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

$16.60 KES 2,152

$9.45 COP 33.0K

75.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.03 KES 5,061

$24.11 COP 84.1K

61.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$4.10 COP 14.3K

52.93%

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

$199 KES 25.8K

$312 COP 1.1M

-36.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,101 KES 1.1M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

35.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.17 KES 2,356

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-68.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.73 KES 3,077

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-27.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,547

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-33.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 KES 7,446

$109 COP 378.8K

-47.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.2K

$482 COP 1.7M

-75.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.0 KES 10.1K

$379 COP 1.3M

-79.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 KES 30.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

-71.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 KES 23.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-74.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$765 KES 99.2K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-73.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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 Naivasha: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $117 in Naivasha versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Naivasha versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 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

Naivasha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, 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 $879 per month in Naivasha and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Naivasha, 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 Naivasha and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Naivasha, where all-in costs run around $586, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Naivasha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Naivasha – 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 Naivasha. 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.