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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $587 per month in Nakuru vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Nakuru vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,403 per month in Nakuru vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 KES 443

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-42.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.95 KES 4,916

$32.86 COP 117.4K

15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 KES 896

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-2.40%

Cappuccino

$1.70 KES 220

$1.71 COP 6,115

-0.58%

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

$0.38 KES 48.75

$1.10 COP 3,924

-65.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KES 41.55

$0.78 COP 2,781

-58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 KES 178

$1.68 COP 5,997

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 KES 199

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.3

$1.09 COP 3,906

-52.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.0

$1.26 COP 4,508

-61.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 KES 150

$1.38 COP 4,922

-15.94%

Eggs

$1.32 KES 170

$2.19 COP 7,827

-39.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 KES 1,028

$4.40 COP 15.7K

80.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 KES 834

$5.63 COP 20.1K

14.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.19 KES 543

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-52.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 KES 221

$2.34 COP 8,349

-26.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.4

$1.06 COP 3,777

-58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KES 230

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 KES 71.7

$1.38 COP 4,924

-60.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$1.15 COP 4,111

-65.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 KES 73.3

$1.16 COP 4,155

-50.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 82.8

$0.89 COP 3,182

-28.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KES 78.6

$0.84 COP 2,997

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.28 COP 8,145

-13.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 KES 1,488

$10.64 COP 38.0K

7.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.20 COP 4,284

31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 KES 232

$2.47 COP 8,824

-27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.86 COP 3,056

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.55 KES 3,440

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-35.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.47 COP 5,264

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$1.96 COP 7,009

-61.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-63.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 KES 163

$0.95 COP 3,409

32.63%

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

$12.5K KES 1.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-30.90%

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

$14.9K KES 1.9M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-43.82%

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

$31.44 KES 4,072

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-61.78%

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

$16.75 KES 2,170

$9.50 COP 33.9K

76.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.81 KES 5,157

$24.23 COP 86.5K

64.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.56 KES 5,903

$25.89 COP 92.4K

75.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 KES 698

$3.93 COP 14.0K

37.15%

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

$200 KES 25.9K

$309 COP 1.1M

-35.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,810 KES 493.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-36.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,368

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-68.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.64 KES 3,062

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-26.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.95 KES 4,917

$103 COP 366.4K

-63.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 KES 7,077

$108 COP 387.2K

-49.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.7K

$476 COP 1.7M

-51.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$379 COP 1.4M

-69.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 KES 49.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

-54.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-62.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Nakuru versus $476 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 Nakuru versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Nakuru vs $188 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 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 $881 per month in Nakuru and $1,519 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 $38.00 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 $587 in Nakuru and $1,013 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 $587, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.