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 $1,460 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,107 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,188 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 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.55 KWD 2.93

$5.95 COP 20.8K

60.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 KWD 13.81

$33.33 COP 116.3K

34.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 KWD 2.50

$7.23 COP 25.2K

12.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KWD 0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$6.08 KWD 1.87

$1.63 COP 5,687

273.01%

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

$0.66 KWD 0.20

$1.09 COP 3,821

-39.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.73 COP 2,548

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.05 COP 3,662

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$1.29 COP 4,515

-30.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.32 COP 4,617

20.45%

Eggs

$2.04 KWD 0.63

$2.27 COP 7,927

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 KWD 1.54

$4.35 COP 15.2K

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 KWD 1.91

$5.88 COP 20.5K

5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.16

$8.61 COP 30.0K

19.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 KWD 0.61

$2.25 COP 7,844

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$1.07 COP 3,733

44.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$1.52 COP 5,322

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$1.42 COP 4,964

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.17 COP 4,084

9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$1.17 COP 4,077

-24.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$0.89 COP 3,096

76.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.90 COP 3,146

-45.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 KWD 0.89

$2.25 COP 7,837

28.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 KWD 0.36

$0.84 COP 2,916

38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.44 KWD 14.88

$41.95 COP 146.4K

15.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

$1.41 COP 4,912

128.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 KWD 1.00

$1.90 COP 6,634

72.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.24 KWD 4.99

$7.75 COP 27.0K

109.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$1.01 COP 3,509

-66.34%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,592

$17.6K COP 61.4M

22.07%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,193

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-23.91%

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

$38.71 KWD 11.89

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-53.74%

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

$18.69 KWD 5.74

$9.45 COP 33.0K

97.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.94 KWD 7.97

$24.11 COP 84.1K

7.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.0 KWD 28.57

$25.31 COP 88.3K

267.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.2 KWD 20.35

$19.14 COP 66.8K

246.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 KWD 2.66

$4.10 COP 14.3K

111.22%

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

$282 KWD 86.6

$312 COP 1.1M

-9.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,710 KWD 2,061

$5,993 COP 20.9M

11.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.25 KWD 12.98

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-27.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.02 KWD 13.22

$32.56 COP 113.6K

32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 KWD 26.61

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-13.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 KWD 20.92

$109 COP 378.8K

-37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 KWD 290

$482 COP 1.7M

95.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 KWD 222

$379 COP 1.3M

90.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 KWD 569

$837 COP 2.9M

121.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 KWD 412

$723 COP 2.5M

85.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,747 KWD 844

$541 COP 1.9M

407.81%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in As-salimiyah versus $482 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 408% 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 – $165 in As-salimiyah vs $190 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 $2,190 per month in As-salimiyah and $1,525 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 $1,460 in As-salimiyah and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% 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 $1,017, than in As-salimiyah at $1,460. 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.