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: $807 in 'ali versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,328 in 'ali versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,849 in 'ali versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 22% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ali 40% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 BHD 2.56

$6.16 COP 20.1K

10.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 BHD 19.94

$32.60 COP 106.1K

62.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 BHD 1.96

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-29.29%

Cappuccino

$5.16 BHD 1.95

$1.72 COP 5,600

200.00%

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

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$1.05 COP 3,420

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.77 COP 2,515

-51.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 BHD 2.94

$1.69 COP 5,488

361.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.58 BHD 3.99

$3.17 COP 10.3K

233.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 BHD 0.64

$1.05 COP 3,423

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.30 COP 4,236

1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$1.40 COP 4,544

69.29%

Eggs

$2.51 BHD 0.94

$2.16 COP 7,047

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 BHD 3.35

$4.39 COP 14.3K

102.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 BHD 2.83

$5.88 COP 19.1K

27.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 BHD 3.78

$8.64 COP 28.1K

15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$2.28 COP 7,426

3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BHD 0.77

$1.11 COP 3,604

83.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 BHD 0.63

$1.53 COP 4,983

9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.35 COP 4,410

-10.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$1.13 COP 3,674

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.13 COP 3,692

-5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 BHD 0.55

$0.85 COP 2,753

70.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$0.91 COP 2,975

-3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 BHD 2.48

$2.34 COP 7,630

181.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.82 BHD 7.09

$12.37 COP 40.3K

52.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$1.20 COP 3,909

189.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 BHD 1.21

$2.49 COP 8,104

28.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 BHD 1.74

$1.42 COP 4,623

224.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.88 BHD 1.46

$1.92 COP 6,235

102.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.03 BHD 10.19

$7.66 COP 24.9K

252.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

$0.99 COP 3,223

-47.47%

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

$37.2K BHD 14.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

106.26%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,753

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-22.75%

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

$121 BHD 45.54

$80.8 COP 263.1K

49.52%

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

$26.75 BHD 10.08

$9.95 COP 32.4K

168.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.21 BHD 14.40

$24.18 COP 78.7K

58.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 BHD 3.95

$3.98 COP 13.0K

163.57%

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

$385 BHD 145

$305 COP 993.5K

25.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,940 BHD 3,370

$6,059 COP 19.7M

47.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.23 BHD 17.05

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-22.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 BHD 23.78

$32.20 COP 104.8K

95.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 BHD 31.86

$101 COP 327.9K

-16.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 BHD 33.88

$108 COP 350.8K

-16.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,720 BHD 1,402

$617 COP 2.0M

503.04%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 503% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in 'ali vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $193 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 503% higher in 'ali, 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 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $807 per month in 'ali versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $807 in 'ali versus $1,031 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 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.