Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Abha vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,749 per month in Abha vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Abha vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Abha is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Abha sits 24% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 SAR 19.65

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-34.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 SAR 188

$48.26 COP 150.8K

3.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 SAR 27.25

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-25.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Cappuccino

$3.11 SAR 11.67

$2.91 COP 9,095

6.87%

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

$0.62 SAR 2.35

$1.94 COP 6,074

-68.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$1.52 COP 4,754

-84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.36 COP 4,262

19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$2.39 COP 7,460

-74.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$1.70 COP 5,314

14.71%

Eggs

$3.07 SAR 11.53

$2.87 COP 8,967

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 SAR 16.70

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-55.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 SAR 28.12

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 SAR 69.1

$14.73 COP 46.0K

24.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.49

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-51.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.57 COP 4,911

26.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.13 COP 6,642

-24.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$2.21 COP 6,917

-26.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.20

$2.05 COP 6,396

6.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.50 COP 4,700

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 SAR 1.37

$1.19 COP 3,718

-69.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$1.16 COP 3,619

-56.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.48 SAR 16.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 SAR 4.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.47 SAR 35.56

$3.90 COP 12.2K

142.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 SAR 2.98

$1.17 COP 3,650

-32.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.84 SAR 135

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-53.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$1.28 COP 4,014

121.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SAR 9.90

$2.09 COP 6,537

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$8.62 COP 26.9K

57.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.30 COP 4,056

-53.85%

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

$46.1K SAR 173.1K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

66.68%

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

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-44.85%

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

$86.7 SAR 326

$176 COP 550.1K

-50.75%

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

$36.59 SAR 137

$13.37 COP 41.8K

173.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$29.89 COP 93.4K

157.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 SAR 336

$44.76 COP 139.8K

100.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.06 SAR 165

$17.06 COP 53.3K

158.26%

Cinema Ticket

$15.63 SAR 58.7

$6.20 COP 19.4K

152.10%

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

$207 SAR 779

$793 COP 2.5M

-73.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 SAR 15.5K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-54.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.92 SAR 116

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-63.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.0 SAR 270

$58.5 COP 182.7K

23.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 SAR 357

$136 COP 425.9K

-30.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 SAR 253

$103 COP 322.2K

-34.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 SAR 1,153

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-71.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 SAR 933

$680 COP 2.1M

-63.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 SAR 2,021

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-73.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 SAR 2,123

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-51.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$913 SAR 3,427

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-77.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,346 SAR 5,055

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-20.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,217 SAR 8,325

$665 COP 2.1M

233.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-45.16%

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

Last update for Abha: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Abha versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 233% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Abha versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Abha vs $303 in Medellin – so Abha 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

Abha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 63% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,576 per month in Abha and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Abha and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,050 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. 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.