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: $835 in 'ali versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in 'ali versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in 'ali versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 49% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: 'ali is 39% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 BHD 2.53

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 BHD 20.28

$48.29 COP 148.6K

11.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BHD 2.84

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-20.06%

Cappuccino

$4.84 BHD 1.83

$2.94 COP 9,040

64.63%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.86 COP 5,735

-55.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$1.46 COP 4,479

-79.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$3.21 COP 9,882

101.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 BHD 3.76

$5.71 COP 17.6K

74.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$1.44 COP 4,428

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$2.40 COP 7,389

-55.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.70 COP 5,228

35.29%

Eggs

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.89 COP 8,896

-19.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 BHD 3.28

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-13.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 BHD 2.42

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-35.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 BHD 3.31

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-38.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 BHD 0.91

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-39.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$1.58 COP 4,878

41.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BHD 0.70

$2.15 COP 6,624

-13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

$2.30 COP 7,078

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

$2.00 COP 6,169

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BHD 0.53

$1.51 COP 4,646

-5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$1.20 COP 3,701

28.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.28 COP 3,946

-34.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$3.84 COP 11.8K

40.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 BHD 7.07

$14.01 COP 43.1K

33.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 BHD 1.32

$1.71 COP 5,256

104.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 BHD 1.01

$2.74 COP 8,440

-2.55%

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)

$5.17 BHD 1.95

$1.31 COP 4,016

294.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$2.17 COP 6,680

59.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.67 BHD 5.91

$8.29 COP 25.5K

89.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

$1.36 COP 4,172

-48.53%

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

$36.5K BHD 13.8K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

32.92%

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

$20.9K BHD 7,894

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-42.68%

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

$151 BHD 57.1

$169 COP 519.2K

-10.28%

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

$24.86 BHD 9.37

$13.57 COP 41.8K

83.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.36 BHD 13.33

$28.32 COP 87.2K

24.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$6.65 COP 20.5K

61.05%

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

$480 BHD 181

$803 COP 2.5M

-40.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,063

$9,190 COP 28.3M

17.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BHD 18.94

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-42.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 BHD 22.05

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 BHD 33.77

$139 COP 427.5K

-35.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 BHD 34.37

$102 COP 314.0K

-10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,759 BHD 1,417

$655 COP 2.0M

473.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

10.94

-43.24%

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

Last update for 'ali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 474% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $300, with 'ali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 474% higher in 'ali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in 'ali versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in 'ali versus $1,641 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 96% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.