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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,213 in Al Muharraq versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,756 in Al Muharraq versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,299 in Al Muharraq versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Al Muharraq is roughly 20% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Muharraq 9% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 BHD 1.51

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-33.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.62 BHD 10.04

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-18.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 BHD 1.96

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-26.80%

Cappuccino

$3.90 BHD 1.47

$1.71 COP 6,105

128.07%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.10 COP 3,918

-23.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$0.78 COP 2,776

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 BHD 2.05

$1.68 COP 5,987

223.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 BHD 3.04

$3.07 COP 10.9K

162.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BHD 0.51

$1.09 COP 3,899

22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$1.26 COP 4,500

-56.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$1.38 COP 4,914

67.39%

Eggs

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$2.19 COP 7,813

11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 BHD 1.68

$4.40 COP 15.7K

1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 BHD 1.90

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.17 BHD 3.08

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$2.34 COP 8,334

-47.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 BHD 0.63

$1.06 COP 3,771

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 BHD 0.41

$1.50 COP 5,365

-26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 BHD 0.44

$1.38 COP 4,915

-15.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 BHD 0.31

$1.15 COP 4,104

-29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$1.16 COP 4,148

-54.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$0.89 COP 3,176

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.84 COP 2,992

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 BHD 1.96

$2.28 COP 8,131

128.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 BHD 6.97

$10.64 COP 37.9K

73.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 BHD 1.26

$1.20 COP 4,276

178.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 BHD 1.20

$2.47 COP 8,809

29.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BHD 0.31

$0.86 COP 3,051

-2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 BHD 1.72

$1.47 COP 5,255

210.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$1.96 COP 6,997

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 BHD 1.96

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-32.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.43 BHD 0.16

$0.95 COP 3,403

-54.74%

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

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

103.02%

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

$15.9K BHD 5,976

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-40.15%

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

$105 BHD 39.57

$82.3 COP 293.2K

27.62%

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

$21.38 BHD 8.06

$9.50 COP 33.9K

125.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.44 BHD 14.49

$24.23 COP 86.4K

58.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 BHD 19.63

$25.89 COP 92.3K

101.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 BHD 2.83

$3.93 COP 14.0K

90.84%

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

$388 BHD 146

$309 COP 1.1M

25.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,915 BHD 2,230

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.00 BHD 10.18

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-53.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 BHD 23.59

$32.35 COP 115.3K

93.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 BHD 31.24

$103 COP 365.7K

-19.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 BHD 33.51

$108 COP 386.5K

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 BHD 231

$476 COP 1.7M

28.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 BHD 189

$379 COP 1.4M

32.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 BHD 363

$838 COP 3.0M

14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 BHD 302

$724 COP 2.6M

10.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,998 BHD 753

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-28.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,617 BHD 610

$1,211 COP 4.3M

33.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,574 BHD 593

$512 COP 1.8M

207.46%

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 Muharraq: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $612 in Al Muharraq and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Muharraq pays 207% 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: $27.00 in Al Muharraq vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Muharraq vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Muharraq and Medellin differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,213 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Al Muharraq pays 207% 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: $612 in Al Muharraq versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Al Muharraq. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,213 per month in Al Muharraq versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,213 in Al Muharraq, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Al Muharraq. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Al Muharraq. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.