Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakuru and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $606 per month in Nakuru vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $996 per month in Nakuru vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,386 per month in Nakuru vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Nakuru is about 41% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nakuru and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Nakuru 55% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 KES 454

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-43.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.94 KES 5,032

$32.60 COP 106.1K

19.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 KES 891

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-5.99%

Cappuccino

$1.72 KES 223

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$0.37 KES 48.23

$1.05 COP 3,420

-64.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KES 41.63

$0.77 COP 2,515

-58.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.69 COP 5,487

-15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 KES 196

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-52.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 66.0

$1.05 COP 3,423

-51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$1.30 COP 4,236

-60.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$1.40 COP 4,544

-17.86%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.16 COP 7,046

-37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 KES 985

$4.39 COP 14.3K

73.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 KES 827

$5.88 COP 19.1K

8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.30 KES 556

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-50.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 KES 220

$2.28 COP 7,425

-25.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.45 KES 57.7

$1.11 COP 3,603

-59.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 KES 221

$1.53 COP 4,982

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 KES 77.8

$1.35 COP 4,410

-55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 51.9

$1.13 COP 3,674

-64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.4

$1.13 COP 3,692

-50.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

$0.85 COP 2,753

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$0.91 COP 2,975

-34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 KES 264

$2.34 COP 7,629

-12.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 KES 1,518

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-5.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 KES 208

$1.20 COP 3,909

34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 KES 233

$2.49 COP 8,104

-27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$0.84 COP 2,727

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.48 KES 3,422

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-34.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.42 COP 4,623

11.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$1.92 COP 6,235

-61.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 KES 381

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-61.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 KES 164

$0.99 COP 3,223

28.28%

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

$12.5K KES 1.6M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-30.58%

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

$14.7K KES 1.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-44.89%

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

$30.33 KES 3,920

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-62.47%

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

$17.05 KES 2,204

$9.95 COP 32.4K

71.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.44 KES 5,096

$24.18 COP 78.7K

63.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.30 KES 6,112

$25.08 COP 81.6K

88.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 KES 703

$3.98 COP 13.0K

36.68%

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

$204 KES 26.4K

$305 COP 993.4K

-33.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,922 KES 506.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-35.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.52 KES 2,394

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-68.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.31 KES 3,141

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-24.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.95 KES 4,904

$101 COP 327.9K

-62.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 KES 7,099

$108 COP 350.8K

-49.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$477 COP 1.6M

-52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$376 COP 1.2M

-69.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 KES 50.8K

$845 COP 2.7M

-53.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

-62.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

13.43

-6.92%

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

Last update for Nakuru: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nakuru 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Nakuru versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Nakuru vs $193 in Medellin – so Nakuru wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Nakuru vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 70%, 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 $908 per month in Nakuru 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 Nakuru, 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 $39.00 in Nakuru 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 $606 in Nakuru and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $606, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Nakuru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nakuru – 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 Nakuru. 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.