Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-birah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-birah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,104 per month in Al-birah vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,911 per month in Al-birah vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,719 per month in Al-birah vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Al-birah costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-birah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Al-birah 17% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 ₪28.91

$6.16 COP 20.1K

54.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.78 ₪130

$32.60 COP 106.1K

31.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 ₪34.06

$7.34 COP 23.9K

52.72%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ₪11.39

$1.72 COP 5,600

118.02%

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

$0.74 ₪2.26

$1.05 COP 3,420

-29.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₪1.85

$0.77 COP 2,515

-20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 ₪16.96

$1.69 COP 5,488

230.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 ₪16.93

$3.17 COP 10.3K

75.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₪6.11

$1.05 COP 3,423

91.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₪1.77

$1.30 COP 4,236

-55.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₪7.78

$1.40 COP 4,544

82.86%

Eggs

$2.08 ₪6.33

$2.16 COP 7,047

-3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 ₪18.87

$4.39 COP 14.3K

41.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 ₪19.15

$5.88 COP 19.1K

7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 ₪47.41

$8.64 COP 28.1K

80.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ₪7.65

$2.28 COP 7,426

10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ₪4.32

$1.11 COP 3,604

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ₪4.18

$1.53 COP 4,983

-9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ₪6.13

$1.35 COP 4,410

49.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ₪3.21

$1.13 COP 3,674

-6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ₪4.24

$1.13 COP 3,692

23.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 ₪4.35

$0.85 COP 2,753

68.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₪2.66

$0.91 COP 2,975

-3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 ₪23.58

$2.34 COP 7,630

231.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₪8.16

$1.20 COP 3,909

124.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₪7.38

$2.49 COP 8,104

-2.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ₪2.96

$0.84 COP 2,728

15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.9 ₪179

$40.57 COP 132.1K

45.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 ₪8.37

$1.42 COP 4,623

93.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ₪3.88

$1.92 COP 6,235

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.86 ₪42.09

$7.66 COP 24.9K

80.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 ₪5.86

$0.99 COP 3,223

94.95%

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

$37.0K ₪112.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

105.28%

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

$44.3K ₪134.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

66.44%

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

$83.4 ₪253

$80.8 COP 263.1K

3.22%

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

$18.71 ₪56.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

88.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.25 ₪144

$24.18 COP 78.7K

95.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ₪171

$25.08 COP 81.7K

124.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.72 ₪87.2

$19.15 COP 62.3K

49.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.47 ₪25.74

$3.98 COP 13.0K

112.81%

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

$218 ₪662

$305 COP 993.5K

-28.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,786 ₪11.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-37.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.00 ₪131

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-26.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 ₪119

$32.20 COP 104.8K

21.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.8 ₪170

$101 COP 327.9K

-44.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.68 ₪130

$108 COP 350.8K

-60.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₪1,079

$477 COP 1.6M

-25.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ₪988

$376 COP 1.2M

-13.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₪2,563

$845 COP 2.7M

-0.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 ₪2,899

$730 COP 2.4M

30.66%

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)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

13.43

-58.15%

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

Last update for Al-birah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Al-birah 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Al-birah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 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

Al-birah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,104 in Al-birah, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 7% apart. Al-birah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,657 per month in Al-birah 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 13% more in Al-birah, 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 $43.00 in Al-birah 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 Al-birah at $1,104. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-birah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,104 in Al-birah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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