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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,136 per month in Abha vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,893 per month in Abha vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,650 per month in Abha vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Abha costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Abha and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Abha 15% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 SAR 19.80

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$32.86 COP 117.4K

59.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 SAR 28.35

$7.09 COP 25.3K

6.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 SAR 5.35

Cappuccino

$3.17 SAR 11.88

$1.71 COP 6,115

85.38%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$1.10 COP 3,924

-42.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.78 COP 2,781

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 SAR 7.08

$1.09 COP 3,906

73.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 SAR 1.79

$1.26 COP 4,508

-61.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

$1.38 COP 4,922

46.38%

Eggs

$2.99 SAR 11.24

$2.19 COP 7,827

36.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 SAR 21.77

$4.40 COP 15.7K

31.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 SAR 33.43

$5.63 COP 20.1K

58.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.68 SAR 62.6

$8.89 COP 31.8K

87.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$2.34 COP 8,349

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.06 COP 3,777

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.50 COP 5,374

-2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.38 COP 4,924

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.15 COP 4,111

24.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.16 COP 4,155

8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.43

$0.89 COP 3,182

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.84 COP 2,997

-29.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.31 SAR 16.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 SAR 35.37

$2.28 COP 8,145

313.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$0.86 COP 3,056

-4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.87 SAR 150

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-3.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$1.47 COP 5,264

78.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$1.96 COP 7,009

34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.42

$7.74 COP 27.6K

70.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.95 COP 3,409

-35.79%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

33.59%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-16.17%

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

$81.1 SAR 304

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-1.40%

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

$37.40 SAR 140

$9.50 COP 33.9K

293.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 SAR 209

$24.23 COP 86.5K

129.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 460

$25.89 COP 92.4K

373.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.36 SAR 103

$19.00 COP 67.9K

44.00%

Cinema Ticket

$18.08 SAR 67.9

$3.93 COP 14.0K

360.05%

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

$235 SAR 882

$309 COP 1.1M

-24.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,411 SAR 20.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-9.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.52 SAR 141

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-36.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 SAR 250

$32.35 COP 115.5K

105.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 SAR 679

$103 COP 366.4K

76.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$108 COP 387.2K

-19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 SAR 1,345

$476 COP 1.7M

-24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 SAR 991

$379 COP 1.4M

-30.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 SAR 2,167

$838 COP 3.0M

-31.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,402

$724 COP 2.6M

-11.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,072 SAR 4,025

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-61.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 SAR 2,285

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-49.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,221 SAR 8,334

$512 COP 1.8M

333.90%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Abha versus $476 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 334% 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 $53.0 in Abha versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $188 – 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 12% 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 $1,704 per month in Abha and $1,519 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 10% 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 $53.0 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 $1,013, than in Abha at $1,136. 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 $1,013 versus $1,136 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.