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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $506 per month in Thika vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $862 per month in Thika vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,218 per month in Thika vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Thika is about 69% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thika sits 63% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 KES 446

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-57.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.50 KES 4,461

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-28.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 KES 811

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-33.44%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$2.94 COP 9,040

-35.37%

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

$0.30 KES 38.72

$1.86 COP 5,735

-83.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 72.8

$1.46 COP 4,479

-61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 257

$3.21 COP 9,882

-38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 KES 272

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-63.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 KES 89.5

$1.44 COP 4,428

-52.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$2.40 COP 7,389

-81.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.70 COP 5,228

-32.35%

Eggs

$1.41 KES 182

$2.89 COP 8,896

-51.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 KES 1,328

$10.06 COP 30.9K

2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 KES 822

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-36.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 KES 513

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-72.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 KES 201

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-60.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.2

$1.58 COP 4,878

-59.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$2.15 COP 6,624

-62.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$2.30 COP 7,078

-53.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.79

$2.00 COP 6,169

-81.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.5

$1.51 COP 4,646

-70.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$1.20 COP 3,701

-39.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.63

$1.28 COP 3,946

-70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 KES 359

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-27.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 KES 735

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 KES 238

$1.71 COP 5,256

7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.74 COP 8,440

-27.74%

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)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.31 COP 4,016

16.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 KES 119

$2.17 COP 6,680

-57.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-64.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 179

$1.36 COP 4,172

1.47%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-25.85%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-44.98%

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

$35.10 KES 4,539

$169 COP 519.2K

-79.20%

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

$15.12 KES 1,955

$13.57 COP 41.8K

11.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.30 KES 4,564

$28.32 COP 87.2K

24.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.51 KES 5,885

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-0.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 KES 989

$6.65 COP 20.5K

15.04%

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

$53.9 KES 6,967

$803 COP 2.5M

-93.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,541 KES 457.8K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-61.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 KES 3,529

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-68.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.43 KES 3,417

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-55.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 KES 8,206

$139 COP 427.5K

-54.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.58 KES 2,532

$102 COP 314.0K

-80.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.4 KES 12.7K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-90.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.7 KES 7,584

$653 COP 2.0M

-91.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 KES 34.9K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-85.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-83.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$616 KES 79.6K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-85.06%

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 Thika: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $98.4 in Thika 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 Thika versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $150 vs $300 – making Thika 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

Thika vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 224%, 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 $760 per month in Thika 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 Thika, 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 Thika 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 100% 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 $506, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.