Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $478 per month in Thika vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $795 per month in Thika vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,113 per month in Thika vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Thika is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thika and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Thika 64% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 680

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-10.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.16 KES 5,055

$32.75 COP 118.2K

19.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 KES 898

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-3.47%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$1.70 COP 6,140

43.53%

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

$0.74 KES 95.7

$1.10 COP 3,966

-32.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.5

$0.72 COP 2,605

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 KES 223

$1.67 COP 6,022

3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 255

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$1.06 COP 3,809

-13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.4

$1.25 COP 4,497

-64.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 KES 171

$1.39 COP 5,022

-4.32%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$2.26 COP 8,168

-39.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,486

$4.33 COP 15.6K

165.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 886

$5.84 COP 21.1K

17.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.98 KES 255

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-77.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 390

$2.24 COP 8,099

34.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.08 COP 3,882

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 270

$1.53 COP 5,522

36.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.37 COP 4,950

-24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.13 COP 4,078

-8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 143

$1.12 COP 4,036

-0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.5

$0.85 COP 3,057

-18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 KES 105

$0.91 COP 3,281

-9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 KES 303

$2.33 COP 8,414

0.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-49.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 223

$1.19 COP 4,309

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 KES 246

$2.37 COP 8,553

-19.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.44 COP 5,184

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.91 COP 6,901

-17.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 382

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-63.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KES 131

$0.94 COP 3,385

8.51%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

23.26%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-26.32%

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

$34.17 KES 4,410

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-59.30%

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

$17.06 KES 2,202

$9.60 COP 34.7K

77.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.97 KES 5,030

$24.16 COP 87.2K

61.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 KES 813

$3.92 COP 14.1K

60.71%

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

$202 KES 26.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

-34.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,948 KES 1.0M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

34.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 KES 2,397

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-67.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.27 KES 3,132

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-23.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,583

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-33.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,315

$107 COP 386.8K

-47.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$615 KES 79.4K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-78.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Thika versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $176 in Thika vs $190 in Medellin – so Thika 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

Thika vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 116%, 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 $717 per month in Thika and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Thika and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Thika, where all-in costs run around $478, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Thika it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thika – 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 Thika. 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.