Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $813 in 'ali versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,317 in 'ali versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,821 in 'ali versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 20% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ali 39% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 BHD 2.47

$5.99 COP 21.4K

9.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 BHD 20.25

$32.86 COP 117.4K

63.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 BHD 1.99

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-25.53%

Cappuccino

$5.42 BHD 2.04

$1.71 COP 6,115

216.96%

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

$0.78 BHD 0.30

$1.10 COP 3,924

-29.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.78 COP 2,781

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 BHD 2.96

$1.68 COP 5,997

367.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.77 BHD 4.06

$3.07 COP 11.0K

250.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 BHD 0.65

$1.09 COP 3,906

57.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.26 COP 4,508

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.38 COP 4,922

66.67%

Eggs

$2.51 BHD 0.95

$2.19 COP 7,827

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 BHD 3.23

$4.40 COP 15.7K

94.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 BHD 2.96

$5.63 COP 20.1K

39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$8.89 COP 31.8K

13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$2.34 COP 8,349

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 BHD 0.76

$1.06 COP 3,777

91.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 BHD 0.64

$1.50 COP 5,374

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 BHD 0.44

$1.38 COP 4,924

-15.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 BHD 0.34

$1.15 COP 4,111

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.16 COP 4,155

-6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 BHD 0.57

$0.89 COP 3,182

69.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.84 COP 2,997

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.74 BHD 2.54

$2.28 COP 8,145

195.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.47 BHD 6.96

$10.64 COP 38.0K

73.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 BHD 1.26

$1.20 COP 4,284

178.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 BHD 1.25

$2.47 COP 8,824

34.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 BHD 1.78

$1.47 COP 5,264

221.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 BHD 1.47

$1.96 COP 7,009

98.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.85 BHD 10.12

$7.74 COP 27.6K

246.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 BHD 0.21

$0.95 COP 3,409

-40.00%

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

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

107.72%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,759

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-22.29%

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

$121 BHD 45.67

$82.3 COP 293.7K

47.29%

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

$27.33 BHD 10.30

$9.50 COP 33.9K

187.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.29 BHD 14.43

$24.23 COP 86.5K

58.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 BHD 4.01

$3.93 COP 14.0K

170.74%

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

$395 BHD 149

$309 COP 1.1M

27.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,058 BHD 3,415

$5,965 COP 21.3M

51.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.39 BHD 17.11

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-22.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 BHD 23.78

$32.35 COP 115.5K

95.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 BHD 31.53

$103 COP 366.4K

-18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 BHD 32.73

$108 COP 387.2K

-19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

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)

$3,723 BHD 1,404

$512 COP 1.8M

627.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

13.43

-36.26%

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

Last update for 'ali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 627% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in 'ali vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

'ali vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

'ali pays 627% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $813 per month in 'ali versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $813 in 'ali versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 'ali and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.