Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Mukalla and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mukalla: $846 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Al Mukalla
🇾🇪 Yemen
$846
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Mukalla and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Mukalla and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $846 in Al Mukalla versus $1,614 in Medellin.

  • Al Mukalla $846
  • Medellin $1,614

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,661 in Al Mukalla versus $2,402 in Medellin.

  • Al Mukalla $1,661
  • Medellin $2,402

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,476 in Al Mukalla versus $3,190 in Medellin.

  • Al Mukalla $2,476
  • Medellin $3,190

Living in Al Mukalla costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Mukalla is 37% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.76 YER 3,954
$7.93 COP 25.2K
111.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.8 YER 20.0K
$46.13 COP 146.3K
83.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-
Cappuccino
$8.66 YER 2,042
$3.11 COP 9,866
178.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.83 COP 5,800
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 YER 205
$1.38 COP 4,360
-36.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.05 COP 9,672
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.45 COP 4,600
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.36 COP 7,496
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.68 COP 5,328
-
Eggs
$10.76 YER 2,539
$2.86 COP 9,077
276.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.04 YER 3,549
$10.19 COP 32.3K
47.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$25.87 YER 6,102
$9.53 COP 30.2K
171.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$58.6 YER 13.8K
$14.04 COP 44.5K
317.52%
Apples (1kg)
$14.73 YER 3,474
$4.07 COP 12.9K
261.92%
Banana (1kg)
$6.27 YER 1,480
$1.50 COP 4,742
318.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.17 YER 1,220
$2.17 COP 6,891
138.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.48 YER 820
$2.31 COP 7,310
50.65%
Potato (1kg)
$7.44 YER 1,755
$1.93 COP 6,113
285.49%
Onion (1kg)
$4.13 YER 973
$1.64 COP 5,196
151.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.13 COP 3,571
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 YER 611
$1.25 COP 3,954
107.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.99 COP 12.6K
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.70 COP 5,384
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.37 COP 7,525
-
🚌 Getting Around
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.21 COP 3,827
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.32 COP 4,179
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.14 COP 6,774
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.30 COP 4,114
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$28.0K COP 88.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$172 COP 545.6K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.37 COP 42.4K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.28 COP 19.9K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$770 COP 2.4M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$137 COP 432.9K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$616 COP 2.0M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Al Mukalla
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$652 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
10.94
-

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

Last update for Al Mukalla: October 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Al Mukalla
–
Medellin
$616
Groceries & Markets
Al Mukalla
–
Medellin
$295
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Mukalla
–
Medellin
$214
Clothing & Footwear
Al Mukalla
–
Medellin
$170
Eating Out
Al Mukalla
–
Medellin
$168
Getting Around
Al Mukalla
–
Medellin
$93
Sport & Entertainment
Al Mukalla
–
Medellin
$58

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Al Mukalla vs $46.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $604 vs $295 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇾🇪 Al Mukalla
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
09:00 9:00 AM
01:00 1:00 AM
8 h behind Al Mukalla
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
176,942
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to YER – Yemeni Rial Converter

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 265 YER (1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Al Mukalla Medellin 13,500 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Al Mukalla
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mukalla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Al Mukalla?
Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in transport, utilities, and clothing. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,269 in Al Mukalla and $2,421 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Al Mukalla and in Medellin?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 105% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Al Mukalla or in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $46.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Al Mukalla or in Medellin?
At $846 in Al Mukalla versus $1,614 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Al Mukalla or Medellin more family-friendly?
For families, Al Mukalla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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