Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hidd and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hidd and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,759 in Al Hidd versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,215 in Al Hidd versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Al Hidd versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 71% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 32% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 BHD 2.46

$6.00 COP 20.6K

8.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 BHD 14.75

$32.84 COP 112.5K

19.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 BHD 2.83

$7.42 COP 25.4K

1.35%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$1.65 COP 5,659

56.36%

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

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$1.07 COP 3,663

-27.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BHD 0.06

$0.76 COP 2,607

-80.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 BHD 2.95

$1.72 COP 5,908

354.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.50 BHD 3.96

$3.20 COP 11.0K

228.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 BHD 0.65

$1.05 COP 3,597

63.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BHD 0.51

$1.31 COP 4,479

3.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$1.34 COP 4,591

73.13%

Eggs

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$2.19 COP 7,521

8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 BHD 3.34

$4.41 COP 15.1K

100.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 BHD 2.98

$5.69 COP 19.5K

39.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.30 BHD 3.88

$8.52 COP 29.2K

20.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 BHD 0.88

$2.34 COP 8,023

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BHD 0.80

$1.11 COP 3,804

90.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 BHD 0.66

$1.52 COP 5,210

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.37 COP 4,680

-11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 BHD 0.34

$1.15 COP 3,950

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.18 COP 4,043

-9.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$0.84 COP 2,885

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BHD 0.34

$0.86 COP 2,931

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 BHD 2.56

$2.26 COP 7,753

200.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 BHD 7.10

$11.60 COP 39.8K

62.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 BHD 1.29

$1.20 COP 4,109

185.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 BHD 1.19

$2.48 COP 8,484

27.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 BHD 0.59

$0.79 COP 2,721

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 BHD 20.02

$40.83 COP 139.9K

30.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 BHD 1.70

$1.47 COP 5,023

207.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 BHD 1.52

$1.92 COP 6,568

109.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.67 BHD 10.05

$7.77 COP 26.6K

243.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BHD 0.15

$1.01 COP 3,464

-59.41%

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

$20.2K BHD 7,596

$17.7K COP 60.5M

14.14%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,845

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-21.32%

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

$120 BHD 45.07

$81.1 COP 277.9K

47.46%

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

$27.48 BHD 10.36

$9.43 COP 32.3K

191.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.33 BHD 14.45

$23.86 COP 81.8K

60.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.6 BHD 20.22

$18.71 COP 64.1K

186.69%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 BHD 4.05

$4.09 COP 14.0K

163.08%

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

$396 BHD 149

$315 COP 1.1M

26.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,844 BHD 3,333

$6,022 COP 20.6M

46.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.51 BHD 17.53

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.8 BHD 23.29

$31.97 COP 109.6K

93.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 BHD 31.43

$101 COP 346.9K

-17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 BHD 32.96

$105 COP 360.3K

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 BHD 250

$485 COP 1.7M

36.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 BHD 352

$365 COP 1.3M

155.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 BHD 306

$827 COP 2.8M

-1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 BHD 295

$730 COP 2.5M

7.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,943 BHD 732

$551 COP 1.9M

252.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

13.43

-36.26%

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

Last update for Al Hidd: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Al Hidd and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 253% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Al Hidd vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Hidd vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Hidd pays 253% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $664 in Al Hidd versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 30% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $396 in Al Hidd versus $315 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,759 in Al Hidd, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Al Hidd and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.