Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,103 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 44% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

As-salimiyah sits 9% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 KWD 2.98

$5.91 COP 18.9K

62.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.54 KWD 13.82

$32.96 COP 105.2K

35.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 KWD 2.47

$7.43 COP 23.7K

7.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$5.91 KWD 1.84

$1.65 COP 5,276

258.18%

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

$0.67 KWD 0.21

$1.10 COP 3,514

-39.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.78 COP 2,491

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 KWD 0.45

$1.10 COP 3,521

31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 KWD 0.26

$1.26 COP 4,015

-34.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

$1.38 COP 4,407

21.01%

Eggs

$2.11 KWD 0.65

$2.18 COP 6,950

-3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 KWD 1.48

$4.49 COP 14.3K

6.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KWD 2.00

$5.79 COP 18.5K

11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 KWD 3.24

$8.97 COP 28.6K

16.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 KWD 0.62

$2.32 COP 7,405

-13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 KWD 0.50

$1.06 COP 3,397

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KWD 0.49

$1.52 COP 4,838

3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 KWD 0.42

$1.36 COP 4,327

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.13 COP 3,599

11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 KWD 0.27

$1.17 COP 3,738

-25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$0.90 COP 2,876

68.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.90 COP 2,861

-45.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KWD 0.93

$2.23 COP 7,128

34.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 KWD 0.36

$0.85 COP 2,723

36.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.66 KWD 15.41

$41.62 COP 132.8K

19.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 KWD 1.02

$1.42 COP 4,518

130.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 KWD 0.98

$1.95 COP 6,223

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.09 KWD 4.99

$7.89 COP 25.2K

103.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.99 COP 3,160

-65.66%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,464

$17.6K COP 56.2M

18.35%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,118

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-26.42%

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

$39.50 KWD 12.26

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-52.42%

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

$18.54 KWD 5.75

$9.70 COP 30.9K

91.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.52 KWD 7.92

$23.52 COP 75.0K

8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.7 KWD 29.38

$25.26 COP 80.6K

274.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.9 KWD 20.14

$19.10 COP 60.9K

239.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 KWD 2.69

$3.95 COP 12.6K

119.49%

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

$281 KWD 87.3

$316 COP 1.0M

-10.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,536 KWD 2,028

$5,975 COP 19.1M

9.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.93 KWD 13.32

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-28.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 KWD 13.22

$31.82 COP 101.5K

33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 KWD 27.33

$102 COP 324.4K

-13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 KWD 21.55

$107 COP 342.8K

-35.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$968 KWD 300

$475 COP 1.5M

103.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 KWD 221

$374 COP 1.2M

90.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 KWD 586

$849 COP 2.7M

122.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 KWD 415

$719 COP 2.3M

85.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,728 KWD 847

$624 COP 2.0M

336.93%

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 As-salimiyah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $968 in As-salimiyah versus $475 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 337% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $45.00 in As-salimiyah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in As-salimiyah vs $193 in Medellin – so As-salimiyah 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

As-salimiyah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,172 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,504 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,448 in As-salimiyah and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in As-salimiyah at $1,448. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah 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, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.