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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 32% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$5.91 COP 18.6K

9.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$32.96 COP 103.8K

61.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.43 COP 23.4K

4.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$1.65 COP 5,207

165.45%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.10 COP 3,468

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.78 COP 2,458

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.10 COP 3,474

59.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.26 COP 3,962

10.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$1.38 COP 4,349

73.91%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.18 COP 6,858

29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$4.49 COP 14.1K

47.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$5.79 COP 18.2K

54.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$8.97 COP 28.2K

41.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.32 COP 7,308

9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.06 COP 3,352

64.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.52 COP 4,774

41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.36 COP 4,270

15.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.13 COP 3,552

25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.17 COP 3,689

41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$0.90 COP 2,838

90.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.90 COP 2,823

-35.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$2.23 COP 7,034

196.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$0.85 COP 2,687

12.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$41.62 COP 131.0K

47.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.42 COP 4,459

57.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.95 COP 6,141

-32.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-13.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.99 COP 3,118

-34.34%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

20.69%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-14.33%

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

$122 SAR 458

$83.0 COP 261.4K

46.77%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$9.70 COP 30.5K

252.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$23.52 COP 74.1K

245.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$25.26 COP 79.5K

321.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$19.10 COP 60.1K

91.94%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$3.95 COP 12.4K

333.42%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$316 COP 994.2K

-4.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

27.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$60.0 COP 188.9K

6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$31.82 COP 100.2K

117.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$102 COP 320.1K

-1.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$107 COP 338.3K

-27.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$475 COP 1.5M

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$374 COP 1.2M

5.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$849 COP 2.7M

23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$719 COP 2.3M

11.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-26.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,441 COP 4.5M

1.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$624 COP 2.0M

191.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

13.43

-71.41%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 192% 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: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 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 Khobar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 192% higher in Al Khobar, 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: $430 in Al Khobar 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 48% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar 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 $1,323 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar 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 32% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.