Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,180 per month in Arar vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,796 per month in Arar vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,412 per month in Arar vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Arar is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arar sits 14% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 SAR 24.81

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-17.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 SAR 141

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-21.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.84

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-19.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

Cappuccino

$3.46 SAR 13.00

$3.13 COP 9,937

10.54%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$1.91 COP 6,058

-56.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$1.51 COP 4,794

-82.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.44 COP 4,587

17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$2.49 COP 7,894

-53.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$1.77 COP 5,631

27.12%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.96 COP 9,396

-20.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 SAR 28.15

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-25.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 SAR 30.89

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-18.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 SAR 48.47

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-47.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.61 COP 5,106

6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$2.25 COP 7,129

-31.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.25 COP 7,150

-26.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$2.04 COP 6,486

-41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.54 COP 4,873

-11.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.17 COP 3,715

1.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$1.31 COP 4,148

-54.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SAR 8.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.43

$3.90 COP 12.4K

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.22 COP 3,858

-13.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.08 SAR 136

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-55.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 SAR 10.68

$1.31 COP 4,155

116.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$2.19 COP 6,944

-19.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.05 SAR 49.01

$8.71 COP 27.7K

49.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$1.37 COP 4,334

-54.01%

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

$45.2K SAR 169.9K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

62.51%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-39.77%

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

$99.4 SAR 373

$177 COP 562.9K

-43.95%

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

$32.81 SAR 123

$13.88 COP 44.1K

136.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$29.72 COP 94.4K

124.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 SAR 317

$44.88 COP 142.5K

87.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.46 SAR 141

$17.12 COP 54.4K

118.81%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.63

$6.65 COP 21.1K

98.65%

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

$338 SAR 1,271

$813 COP 2.6M

-58.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,658 SAR 25.0K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-27.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 SAR 192

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-42.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 SAR 215

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 SAR 360

$138 COP 438.8K

-30.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 SAR 334

$102 COP 324.2K

-13.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 SAR 2,169

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-45.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,287

$663 COP 2.1M

-48.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,246

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-54.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,089

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-45.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,381 SAR 8,943

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-43.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 SAR 5,187

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-17.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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 Arar: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $577 in Arar versus $1,062 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 $38.00 in Arar versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $305 – making Arar 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

Arar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,180 in Arar, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 42% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,770 per month in Arar and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 123% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $338 per month in Arar and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,180, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Arar 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 $1,180 in Arar to $1,681 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 Arar. 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.