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: $1,813 in Al Hidd versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,260 in Al Hidd versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,707 in Al Hidd versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 81% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 36% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 BHD 2.54

$5.91 COP 18.6K

14.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 BHD 14.82

$32.96 COP 103.8K

19.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 BHD 2.81

$7.43 COP 23.4K

0.27%

Cappuccino

$2.72 BHD 1.03

$1.65 COP 5,207

64.85%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.10 COP 3,468

-23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BHD 0.06

$0.78 COP 2,458

-80.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 BHD 2.99

$1.72 COP 5,412

360.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$3.18 COP 10.0K

236.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 BHD 0.62

$1.10 COP 3,474

48.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BHD 0.48

$1.26 COP 3,962

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$1.38 COP 4,349

68.12%

Eggs

$2.48 BHD 0.93

$2.18 COP 6,858

13.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 BHD 3.27

$4.49 COP 14.1K

92.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 BHD 2.82

$5.79 COP 18.2K

29.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 BHD 3.86

$8.97 COP 28.2K

14.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 BHD 0.92

$2.32 COP 7,308

5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BHD 0.77

$1.06 COP 3,352

93.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

$1.52 COP 4,774

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$1.36 COP 4,270

-13.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 BHD 0.34

$1.13 COP 3,552

-20.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$1.17 COP 3,689

-8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 BHD 0.55

$0.90 COP 2,838

63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BHD 0.32

$0.90 COP 2,823

-4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 BHD 2.45

$2.23 COP 7,034

191.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 BHD 6.95

$12.12 COP 38.2K

52.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 BHD 1.26

$1.19 COP 3,743

180.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

$2.48 COP 7,815

26.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$0.85 COP 2,687

82.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 BHD 19.76

$41.62 COP 131.0K

25.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 BHD 1.79

$1.42 COP 4,459

233.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 BHD 1.50

$1.95 COP 6,141

104.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.03 BHD 9.81

$7.89 COP 24.8K

229.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BHD 0.15

$0.99 COP 3,118

-58.59%

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

$19.7K BHD 7,417

$17.6K COP 55.4M

11.80%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,827

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-22.50%

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

$119 BHD 45.03

$83.0 COP 261.4K

43.95%

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

$26.86 BHD 10.12

$9.70 COP 30.5K

176.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.96 BHD 14.69

$23.52 COP 74.1K

65.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.9 BHD 19.93

$19.10 COP 60.1K

176.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 BHD 3.96

$3.95 COP 12.4K

166.08%

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

$387 BHD 146

$316 COP 994.2K

22.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,902 BHD 3,355

$5,975 COP 18.8M

49.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.47 BHD 17.14

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-24.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 BHD 23.96

$31.82 COP 100.2K

99.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 BHD 30.99

$102 COP 320.1K

-19.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 BHD 33.18

$107 COP 338.3K

-18.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 BHD 245

$475 COP 1.5M

36.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 BHD 352

$374 COP 1.2M

149.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 BHD 303

$849 COP 2.7M

-5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 BHD 305

$719 COP 2.3M

12.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 BHD 729

$624 COP 2.0M

209.73%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $650 in Al Hidd and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 210% 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 $260 vs $193 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 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 210% higher in Al Hidd, 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: $650 in Al Hidd versus $475 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 26% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $387 in Al Hidd versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,813 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 81% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.