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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $480 per month in Thika vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $809 per month in Thika vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,137 per month in Thika vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Thika is about 53% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thika and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Thika 64% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 KES 717

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 KES 4,991

$33.33 COP 116.3K

15.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 861

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-8.16%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

$1.63 COP 5,687

46.01%

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

$0.75 KES 97.2

$1.09 COP 3,821

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.73 COP 2,548

-26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 217

$1.74 COP 6,065

-4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-38.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.05 COP 3,662

-16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.5

$1.29 COP 4,515

-63.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 KES 177

$1.32 COP 4,617

3.03%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.27 COP 7,927

-40.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 KES 1,512

$4.35 COP 15.2K

168.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 849

$5.88 COP 20.5K

11.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.92 KES 249

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-77.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 406

$2.25 COP 7,844

39.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.07 COP 3,733

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

$1.52 COP 5,322

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.42 COP 4,964

-26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.17 COP 4,084

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 146

$1.17 COP 4,077

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$0.89 COP 3,096

-28.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.9

$0.90 COP 3,146

-15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 KES 306

$2.25 COP 7,837

4.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 KES 765

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-46.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.14 COP 3,977

51.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.38 COP 8,301

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.41 COP 4,912

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.90 COP 6,634

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-63.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.01 COP 3,509

4.95%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

22.23%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-25.13%

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

$34.61 KES 4,488

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-58.64%

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

$17.09 KES 2,216

$9.45 COP 33.0K

80.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 KES 5,116

$24.11 COP 84.1K

63.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 KES 819

$4.10 COP 14.3K

53.90%

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

$205 KES 26.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-34.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,182 KES 1.1M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

36.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,400

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-68.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 KES 3,164

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-25.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,626

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-33.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 KES 7,328

$109 COP 378.8K

-47.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$612 KES 79.3K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-78.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $175 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 112%, 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 $721 per month in Thika and $1,525 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 $38.00 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 $480, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.