Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,393 per month in Al-qardahah vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 62% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Al-qardahah sits 53% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 SYP 1,194

$8.02 COP 25.4K

22.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 SYP 5,460

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-6.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 SYP 833

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-30.64%

Cappuccino

$3.79 SYP 460

$3.13 COP 9,937

21.09%

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

$2.29 SYP 278

$1.91 COP 6,058

19.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 SYP 106

$1.51 COP 4,794

-42.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SYP 233

$3.12 COP 9,917

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 SYP 372

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-46.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.44 COP 4,587

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 SYP 51.0

$2.49 COP 7,894

-83.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

$1.77 COP 5,631

-7.34%

Eggs

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.96 COP 9,396

-46.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 SYP 471

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-61.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 SYP 691

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-43.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SYP 1,647

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-5.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-75.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 172

$1.61 COP 5,106

-12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

$2.25 COP 7,129

-51.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$2.25 COP 7,150

-54.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 91.6

$2.04 COP 6,486

-63.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.2

$1.54 COP 4,873

-48.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 48.87

$1.17 COP 3,715

-65.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$1.31 COP 4,148

-53.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 SYP 343

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-27.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 SYP 737

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.74 COP 5,534

-36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SYP 354

$2.87 COP 9,112

1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.31 COP 4,155

-22.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SYP 187

$2.19 COP 6,944

-29.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 SYP 953

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.67 SYP 446

$1.37 COP 4,334

167.88%

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

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-46.83%

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

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-46.79%

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

$137 SYP 16.7K

$177 COP 562.9K

-22.60%

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

$9.45 SYP 1,148

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-31.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.65 SYP 5,547

$29.72 COP 94.4K

53.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 SYP 656

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-18.80%

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

$66.7 SYP 8,108

$813 COP 2.6M

-91.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,806 SYP 219.5K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-80.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.38 SYP 3,449

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-68.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 SYP 4,873

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-31.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SYP 7,288

$138 COP 438.8K

-56.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 SYP 7,032

$102 COP 324.2K

-43.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

10.94

30.26%

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

Last update for Al-qardahah: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Al-qardahah versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $305 – making Al-qardahah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-qardahah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 163%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $960 per month in Al-qardahah and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Al-qardahah and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $640, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-qardahah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al-qardahah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.