Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahmadi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ahmadi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,356 per month in Ahmadi vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,111 per month in Ahmadi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,865 per month in Ahmadi vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ahmadi costs about 34% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ahmadi sits 1% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.78 KWD 1.47

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 KWD 7.39

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-26.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 KWD 2.55

$7.09 COP 25.3K

17.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$5.58 KWD 1.71

$1.71 COP 6,115

226.32%

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

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$1.10 COP 3,924

-57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.78 COP 2,781

-56.41%

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)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.09 COP 3,906

17.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 KWD 0.24

$1.26 COP 4,508

-36.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.38 COP 4,922

15.22%

Eggs

$1.35 KWD 0.41

$2.19 COP 7,827

-38.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-27.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 KWD 1.49

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-13.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 KWD 3.20

$8.89 COP 31.8K

17.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.34 COP 8,349

-35.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.06 COP 3,777

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 KWD 0.36

$1.50 COP 5,374

-22.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$1.38 COP 4,924

-43.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$1.15 COP 4,111

-56.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$1.16 COP 4,155

-56.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$0.89 COP 3,182

44.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.84 COP 2,997

-41.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 KWD 0.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 KWD 0.89

$2.28 COP 8,145

27.63%

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)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

$0.86 COP 3,056

17.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.92 KWD 9.18

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-27.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$1.47 COP 5,264

115.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$1.96 COP 7,009

62.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.40 KWD 5.03

$7.74 COP 27.6K

111.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.95 COP 3,409

-65.26%

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

$21.6K KWD 6,634

$18.1K COP 64.7M

19.29%

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

$18.4K KWD 5,650

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-30.44%

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

$63.5 KWD 19.47

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-22.83%

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

$16.06 KWD 4.93

$9.50 COP 33.9K

69.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.37 KWD 7.78

$24.23 COP 86.5K

4.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$132 KWD 40.56

$25.89 COP 92.4K

410.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.66 KWD 15.23

$19.00 COP 67.9K

161.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.31 KWD 3.47

$3.93 COP 14.0K

187.79%

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

$96.2 KWD 29.49

$309 COP 1.1M

-68.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,540 KWD 2,006

$5,965 COP 21.3M

9.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.65 KWD 13.08

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-27.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 KWD 12.82

$32.35 COP 115.5K

29.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 KWD 26.99

$103 COP 366.4K

-14.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 KWD 25.37

$108 COP 387.2K

-23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 KWD 252

$476 COP 1.7M

72.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 KWD 191

$379 COP 1.4M

64.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,891 KWD 580

$838 COP 3.0M

125.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 KWD 384

$724 COP 2.6M

73.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,126 KWD 959

$2,791 COP 10.0M

12.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,483 KWD 762

$1,211 COP 4.3M

105.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,529 KWD 1,082

$512 COP 1.8M

589.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.43

-66.49%

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

Last update for Ahmadi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Ahmadi 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 590% higher in Ahmadi, 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 $24.00 in Ahmadi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $136 vs $188 – making Ahmadi 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

Ahmadi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ahmadi is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,034 per month in Ahmadi 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.

Kindergarten costs $96.2 per month in Ahmadi and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 38% cheaper in Ahmadi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Ahmadi at $1,356. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ahmadi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Ahmadi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.