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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $639 per month in Nakuru vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $978 per month in Nakuru vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,318 per month in Nakuru vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Nakuru is about 61% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nakuru sits 54% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 KES 506

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-51.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.07 KES 4,405

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-29.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.25 KES 808

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-33.65%

Cappuccino

$1.97 KES 255

$2.94 COP 9,040

-32.99%

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

$0.38 KES 48.59

$1.86 COP 5,735

-79.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.36

$1.46 COP 4,479

-84.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 KES 302

$3.21 COP 9,882

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-51.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$1.44 COP 4,428

-63.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$2.40 COP 7,389

-80.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.70 COP 5,228

-10.00%

Eggs

$1.61 KES 209

$2.89 COP 8,896

-44.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 KES 1,360

$10.06 COP 30.9K

4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 KES 823

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-36.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 KES 821

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-55.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 KES 437

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-15.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 129

$1.58 COP 4,878

-37.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$2.15 COP 6,624

-5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.30 COP 7,078

-51.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$2.00 COP 6,169

-47.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.51 COP 4,646

-29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.7

$1.20 COP 3,701

-44.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$1.28 COP 3,946

-42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 KES 461

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-7.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 KES 1,496

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-17.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 KES 290

$1.71 COP 5,256

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.74 COP 8,440

2.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.31 COP 4,016

14.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$2.17 COP 6,680

-27.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-64.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 KES 194

$1.36 COP 4,172

10.29%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-25.49%

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

$20.0K KES 2.6M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-45.35%

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

$60.9 KES 7,872

$169 COP 519.2K

-63.92%

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

$15.19 KES 1,964

$13.57 COP 41.8K

11.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.73 KES 4,620

$28.32 COP 87.2K

26.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 KES 994

$6.65 COP 20.5K

15.49%

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

$241 KES 31.1K

$803 COP 2.5M

-70.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

28.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 KES 3,561

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-68.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.28 KES 3,398

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-55.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 KES 8,268

$139 COP 427.5K

-53.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 KES 7,762

$102 COP 314.0K

-41.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 KES 29.0K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-79.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 KES 17.7K

$653 COP 2.0M

-79.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.4K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-72.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 KES 25.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-81.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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 Nakuru: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Nakuru 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Nakuru versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $300 – making Nakuru 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

Nakuru vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 157%, 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 $958 per month in Nakuru 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 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 $34.00 in Nakuru and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakuru, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.