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 $523 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 48% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 SYP 654

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.69 SYP 3,060

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-15.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 SYP 611

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-22.00%

Cappuccino

$1.56 SYP 172

$1.71 COP 6,115

-8.77%

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

$1.12 SYP 123

$1.10 COP 3,924

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SYP 81.2

$0.78 COP 2,781

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SYP 181

$1.68 COP 5,997

-2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SYP 278

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-18.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 SYP 104

$1.09 COP 3,906

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SYP 70.3

$1.26 COP 4,508

-49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SYP 185

$1.38 COP 4,922

21.74%

Eggs

$1.92 SYP 212

$2.19 COP 7,827

-12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 343

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-29.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 SYP 849

$5.63 COP 20.1K

36.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 SYP 1,255

$8.89 COP 31.8K

27.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 SYP 96.6

$2.34 COP 8,349

-62.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 SYP 201

$1.06 COP 3,777

71.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 114

$1.50 COP 5,374

-31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 SYP 98.8

$1.38 COP 4,924

-35.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 72.6

$1.15 COP 4,111

-42.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 73.1

$1.16 COP 4,155

-43.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 SYP 45.24

$0.89 COP 3,182

-53.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SYP 63.4

$0.84 COP 2,997

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 SYP 340

$2.28 COP 8,145

35.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 SYP 658

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-43.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SYP 113

$1.20 COP 4,284

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SYP 204

$2.47 COP 8,824

-25.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 113

$1.47 COP 5,264

-30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 SYP 142

$1.96 COP 7,009

-34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 SYP 721

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-15.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.76 SYP 416

$0.95 COP 3,409

295.79%

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

$18.1K SYP 2.0M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

0.05%

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

$21.3K SYP 2.4M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-19.64%

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

$102 SYP 11.3K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

24.34%

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

$8.36 SYP 923

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-12.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 SYP 6,023

$24.23 COP 86.5K

124.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 326

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-24.94%

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

$44.02 SYP 4,864

$309 COP 1.1M

-85.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,819 SYP 201.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-69.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.62 SYP 3,273

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-49.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.95 SYP 2,868

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-19.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.48 SYP 5,026

$103 COP 366.4K

-55.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 SYP 6,112

$108 COP 387.2K

-48.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Al-qardahah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $188 – 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 93%, 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 $785 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,519 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 $28.00 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 12% 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 $523, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.