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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,132 per month in Abha vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,887 per month in Abha vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,643 per month in Abha vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Abha costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Abha and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Abha 15% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 SAR 20.37

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-12.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 SAR 202

$32.60 COP 106.1K

64.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 SAR 28.39

$7.34 COP 23.9K

3.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.88

$1.72 COP 5,600

83.72%

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

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$1.05 COP 3,420

-44.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.77 COP 2,515

-70.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.05 COP 3,423

79.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$1.30 COP 4,236

-60.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$1.40 COP 4,544

40.71%

Eggs

$2.85 SAR 10.69

$2.16 COP 7,047

31.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 SAR 21.95

$4.39 COP 14.3K

33.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 SAR 32.19

$5.88 COP 19.1K

45.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 SAR 63.0

$8.64 COP 28.1K

94.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.28 COP 7,426

-17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.11 COP 3,604

44.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.53 COP 4,983

-4.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.35 COP 4,410

27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.13 COP 3,674

21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.13 COP 3,692

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 SAR 3.36

$0.85 COP 2,753

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.91 COP 2,975

-36.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.27 SAR 16.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 SAR 36.07

$2.34 COP 7,630

310.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 SAR 3.17

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.42 SAR 148

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-2.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.76

$1.42 COP 4,623

83.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

$1.92 COP 6,235

42.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.18

$7.66 COP 24.9K

71.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.99 COP 3,223

-40.40%

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

$24.7K SAR 92.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

37.01%

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

$22.6K SAR 85.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-14.96%

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

$81.3 SAR 305

$80.8 COP 263.1K

0.62%

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

$36.96 SAR 139

$9.95 COP 32.4K

271.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 SAR 205

$24.18 COP 78.7K

126.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 456

$25.08 COP 81.7K

384.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.45 SAR 103

$19.15 COP 62.3K

43.34%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 SAR 67.1

$3.98 COP 13.0K

348.74%

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

$241 SAR 906

$305 COP 993.5K

-20.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,294 SAR 19.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-12.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.27 SAR 144

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-34.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.9 SAR 247

$32.20 COP 104.8K

104.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 SAR 667

$101 COP 327.9K

76.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 SAR 331

$108 COP 350.8K

-18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$477 COP 1.6M

-24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 SAR 990

$376 COP 1.2M

-29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 SAR 2,091

$845 COP 2.7M

-34.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 SAR 2,334

$730 COP 2.4M

-14.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,364 SAR 8,876

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-26.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 SAR 4,986

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-3.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,190 SAR 8,222

$617 COP 2.0M

254.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

13.43

-57.78%

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

Last update for Abha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Abha versus $477 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 255% higher in Abha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Abha versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Abha costs about 10% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,698 per month in Abha and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% more in Abha, 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 $54.0 in Abha and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Abha at $1,132. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Abha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,132 in Abha. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Abha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.