Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Wakrah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Wakrah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,515 per month in Al Wakrah vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,571 per month in Al Wakrah vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,626 per month in Al Wakrah vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Al Wakrah costs about 50% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Al Wakrah sits 13% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.71 QAR 17.13

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-21.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.61 QAR 151

$32.86 COP 117.4K

26.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 QAR 22.43

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-13.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.48 QAR 41.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.96 QAR 39.90

Cappuccino

$5.13 QAR 18.68

$1.71 COP 6,115

200.00%

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

$0.81 QAR 2.94

$1.10 COP 3,924

-26.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.21

$0.78 COP 2,781

-57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 QAR 6.95

$1.09 COP 3,906

75.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 QAR 5.57

$1.26 COP 4,508

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 QAR 7.74

$1.38 COP 4,922

54.35%

Eggs

$2.58 QAR 9.39

$2.19 COP 7,827

17.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.16 QAR 26.05

$4.40 COP 15.7K

62.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 QAR 27.83

$5.63 COP 20.1K

35.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 QAR 29.59

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-8.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 QAR 7.21

$2.34 COP 8,349

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 QAR 5.75

$1.06 COP 3,777

49.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 QAR 5.55

$1.50 COP 5,374

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 QAR 3.95

$1.38 COP 4,924

-21.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 QAR 3.66

$1.15 COP 4,111

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 QAR 3.55

$1.16 COP 4,155

-15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 QAR 4.77

$0.89 COP 3,182

47.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 QAR 1.80

$0.84 COP 2,997

-41.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.07 QAR 29.37

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 QAR 10.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 QAR 22.92

$2.28 COP 8,145

176.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 QAR 1.95

$0.86 COP 3,056

-38.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 QAR 199

$41.40 COP 147.9K

31.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 QAR 7.79

$1.47 COP 5,264

45.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 QAR 7.77

$1.96 COP 7,009

8.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.92 QAR 50.7

$7.74 COP 27.6K

79.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.15

$0.95 COP 3,409

-37.89%

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

$22.3K QAR 81.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

23.07%

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

$20.5K QAR 74.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-22.73%

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

$92.4 QAR 336

$82.3 COP 293.7K

12.29%

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

$38.06 QAR 139

$9.50 COP 33.9K

300.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 QAR 311

$24.23 COP 86.5K

252.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.4 QAR 344

$25.89 COP 92.4K

264.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.59 QAR 60.4

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-12.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 QAR 30.29

$3.93 COP 14.0K

111.70%

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

$685 QAR 2,495

$309 COP 1.1M

121.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K QAR 42.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

95.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 QAR 227

$58.7 COP 209.5K

6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.34 QAR 129

$32.35 COP 115.5K

9.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 QAR 339

$103 COP 366.4K

-9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 QAR 250

$108 COP 387.2K

-36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 QAR 3,489

$476 COP 1.7M

101.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 QAR 2,534

$379 COP 1.4M

83.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 QAR 6,876

$838 COP 3.0M

125.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 QAR 6,841

$724 COP 2.6M

159.65%

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)

$4,174 QAR 15.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

715.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Al Wakrah: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $958 in Al Wakrah versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 716% higher in Al Wakrah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Al Wakrah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Al Wakrah vs $188 in Medellin – so Al Wakrah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Wakrah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al Wakrah is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,272 per month in Al Wakrah and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $685 per month in Al Wakrah and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Al Wakrah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Al Wakrah at $1,515. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Wakrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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