😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,370 in Ar-rawdah versus $1,013 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Ar-rawdah versus $1,602 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,314 in Ar-rawdah versus $2,192 in Medellin.
😐Living in Ar-rawdah is roughly 35% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ar-rawdah is 2% above, Medellin is 24% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.06KWD 3.09
$5.99COP 21.4K
67.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.0KWD 25.45
$32.86COP 117.4K
152.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.92KWD 2.74
$7.09COP 25.3K
25.81%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.48KWD 0.76
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69KWD 1.13
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.91KWD 1.81
$1.71COP 6,115
245.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68KWD 0.21
$1.10COP 3,924
-38.18%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35KWD 0.11
$0.78COP 2,781
-55.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.68COP 5,997
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.07COP 11.0K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56KWD 0.48
$1.09COP 3,906
43.12%
White Bread(500g)
$1.28KWD 0.39
$1.26COP 4,508
1.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.80KWD 0.55
$1.38COP 4,922
30.43%
Eggs
$2.08KWD 0.64
$2.19COP 7,827
-5.02%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.24KWD 1.61
$4.40COP 15.7K
19.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.52KWD 2.00
$5.63COP 20.1K
15.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.39KWD 3.19
$8.89COP 31.8K
16.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.39KWD 0.73
$2.34COP 8,349
2.14%
Banana(1kg)
$1.91KWD 0.58
$1.06COP 3,777
80.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.74KWD 0.53
$1.50COP 5,374
16.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.49KWD 0.46
$1.38COP 4,924
7.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28KWD 0.39
$1.15COP 4,111
11.30%
Onion(1kg)
$1.33KWD 0.41
$1.16COP 4,155
14.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.70KWD 0.52
$0.89COP 3,182
91.01%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46KWD 0.14
$0.84COP 2,997
-45.24%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$3.17KWD 0.97
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04KWD 0.32
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33KWD 0.41
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99KWD 0.92
$2.28COP 8,145
31.14%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$10.64COP 38.0K
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.20COP 4,284
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.47COP 8,824
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90KWD 0.27
$0.86COP 3,056
4.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.42KWD 13.32
$41.40COP 147.9K
4.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.28KWD 1.01
$1.47COP 5,264
123.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.22KWD 0.99
$1.96COP 7,009
64.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.51KWD 5.06
$7.74COP 27.6K
113.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.34KWD 0.10
$0.95COP 3,409
-64.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8KKWD 6,390
$18.1KCOP 64.7M
14.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.7KKWD 6,038
$26.5KCOP 94.6M
-25.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.2KWD 19.38
$82.3COP 293.7K
-23.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.75KWD 5.75
$9.50COP 33.9K
97.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.29KWD 8.06
$24.23COP 86.5K
8.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$95.4KWD 29.25
$25.89COP 92.4K
268.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.47KWD 14.25
$19.00COP 67.9K
144.58%
Cinema Ticket
$11.63KWD 3.57
$3.93COP 14.0K
195.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$408KWD 125
$309COP 1.1M
31.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,537KWD 2,005
$5,965COP 21.3M
9.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.11KWD 12.91
$58.7COP 209.5K
-28.21%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.99KWD 12.88
$32.35COP 115.5K
29.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.0KWD 27.30
$103COP 366.4K
-13.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.0KWD 24.84
$108COP 387.2K
-25.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$784KWD 240
$476COP 1.7M
64.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$601KWD 184
$379COP 1.4M
58.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,548KWD 475
$838COP 3.0M
84.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,293KWD 397
$724COP 2.6M
78.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,791COP 10.0M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,593KWD 489
$1,211COP 4.3M
31.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ar-rawdah
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$512COP 1.8M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.14
13.43
-46.84%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ar-rawdah: May 31, 2026
Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $784 in Ar-rawdah and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $83.0 in Ar-rawdah vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $188, with Ar-rawdah cheaper for home cooking.
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
Ar-rawdah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ar-rawdah or Medellin?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Ar-rawdah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ar-rawdah vs Medellin?
You'd need roughly $2,055 in Ar-rawdah and $1,519 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ar-rawdah vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $784 in Ar-rawdah versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ar-rawdah or Medellin?
Shoppers in Ar-rawdah pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Ar-rawdah vs Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $83.0 in Ar-rawdah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Ar-rawdah or Medellin?
At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,370 in Ar-rawdah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ar-rawdah. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ar-rawdah or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.
How safe is Ar-rawdah compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Ar-rawdah and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Ar-rawdah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.