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 $526 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,113 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Al-qardahah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 61% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 SYP 716

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-4.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.02 SYP 3,284

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 SYP 678

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-23.98%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 181

$1.72 COP 5,600

-13.37%

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

$1.13 SYP 138

$1.05 COP 3,420

7.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 87.0

$0.77 COP 2,515

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SYP 197

$1.69 COP 5,488

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 SYP 308

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 SYP 117

$1.05 COP 3,423

-7.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 SYP 72.8

$1.30 COP 4,236

-53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SYP 204

$1.40 COP 4,544

20.00%

Eggs

$1.87 SYP 227

$2.16 COP 7,047

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 SYP 369

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SYP 904

$5.88 COP 19.1K

26.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.45 SYP 1,391

$8.64 COP 28.1K

32.52%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 SYP 115

$2.28 COP 7,426

-58.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 SYP 218

$1.11 COP 3,604

62.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.53 COP 4,983

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 SYP 109

$1.35 COP 4,410

-34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.4

$1.13 COP 3,674

-41.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.5

$1.13 COP 3,692

-41.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 49.21

$0.85 COP 2,753

-52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SYP 69.9

$0.91 COP 2,975

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 SYP 370

$2.34 COP 7,630

29.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 SYP 977

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.20 COP 3,909

-18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 213

$2.49 COP 8,104

-29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 120

$1.42 COP 4,623

-30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SYP 148

$1.92 COP 6,235

-36.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 SYP 787

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-15.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.78 SYP 459

$0.99 COP 3,223

281.82%

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

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

1.74%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-22.40%

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

$101 SYP 12.3K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

25.43%

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

$8.20 SYP 996

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-17.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 SYP 6,712

$24.18 COP 78.7K

128.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 SYP 374

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-22.86%

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

$44.51 SYP 5,409

$305 COP 993.5K

-85.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,843 SYP 224.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-69.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.18 SYP 3,546

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-49.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.02 SYP 3,162

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-19.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.33 SYP 5,508

$101 COP 327.9K

-55.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 SYP 6,720

$108 COP 350.8K

-48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

13.43

2.38%

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

Last update for Al-qardahah: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Al-qardahah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $193 – 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 96%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $789 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,546 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 $27.00 in Al-qardahah and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $526, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.