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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,365 per month in Al-Ula vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Al-Ula is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Al-Ula sits 15% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-14.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 SAR 138

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.10

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-17.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.74

$2.91 COP 9,149

16.49%

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

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$1.94 COP 6,110

-54.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$1.52 COP 4,783

-84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.36 COP 4,287

22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$2.39 COP 7,505

-57.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$1.70 COP 5,346

30.59%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.87 COP 9,021

-18.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.28

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-27.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 SAR 48.33

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-12.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-47.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.57 COP 4,940

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$2.13 COP 6,682

-25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$2.21 COP 6,959

-24.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$2.05 COP 6,435

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.50 COP 4,728

-12.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$1.19 COP 3,740

-4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$1.16 COP 3,640

-49.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$3.90 COP 12.2K

69.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$1.17 COP 3,672

-8.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.60 SAR 137

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-52.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$1.28 COP 4,038

135.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.09 COP 6,576

-11.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.84

$8.62 COP 27.1K

53.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.30 COP 4,080

-53.85%

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

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

64.92%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-39.86%

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

$102 SAR 382

$176 COP 553.4K

-42.19%

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

$32.80 SAR 123

$13.37 COP 42.0K

145.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$29.89 COP 94.0K

123.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 SAR 312

$44.76 COP 140.7K

85.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.63 SAR 138

$17.06 COP 53.6K

114.71%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$6.20 COP 19.5K

116.61%

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

$342 SAR 1,284

$793 COP 2.5M

-56.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-26.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-40.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$58.5 COP 183.8K

1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$136 COP 428.4K

-29.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$103 COP 324.1K

-13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,142

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-46.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$680 COP 2.1M

-49.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 SAR 3,273

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-56.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,077

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-52.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,347 SAR 8,812

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-42.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-18.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

10.94

-50.00%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Al-Ula versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Al-Ula versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $303 – making Al-Ula 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-Ula vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,169 in Al-Ula, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 47% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Al-Ula and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $342 per month in Al-Ula and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,169 in Al-Ula to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-Ula. 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.