Medellin vs Nairobi: cost of living for digital nomads

Medellin, Colombia and Nairobi, Kenya, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Nairobi is about 13% cheaper than Medellin for a month of nomad living ($1,300 vs $1,500).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $580 in Nairobi against $720 in Medellin.
  • Both score 6/10 on safety.
  • Internet is faster in Medellin: 100 Mbps typical against 40 Mbps.
  • Medellin is tropical; Nairobi is temperate.

Medellin wins 3 of the measured lines; Nairobi wins 4.

LineMedellinNairobi
Monthly total (USD)$1,500$1,300
Rent$720$580
Food$380$360
Transport$45$50
Coworking$120$110
Safety (out of 10)6/106/10
Internet (Mbps)10040
Climatetropicaltemperate
City sizemetrometro
Settingmountaininland
Nomad score (out of 10)10/107/10

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.