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 $1,352 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,273 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,194 per month in As-salimiyah vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

As-salimiyah is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

As-salimiyah sits 2% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.89 KWD 3.95

$8.04 COP 24.8K

60.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.94

$48.29 COP 148.6K

21.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 KWD 2.43

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-15.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$5.37 KWD 1.65

$2.94 COP 9,040

82.65%

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

$0.76 KWD 0.23

$1.86 COP 5,735

-59.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.46 COP 4,479

-76.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$1.44 COP 4,428

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 KWD 0.23

$2.40 COP 7,389

-68.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.70 COP 5,228

16.47%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.89 COP 8,896

-28.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 KWD 1.36

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-55.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 KWD 1.68

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-45.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 KWD 2.89

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-33.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 KWD 0.66

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-45.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.58 COP 4,878

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$2.15 COP 6,624

-37.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$2.30 COP 7,078

-35.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$2.00 COP 6,169

-34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$1.51 COP 4,646

-47.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.20 COP 3,701

36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$1.28 COP 3,946

-60.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 KWD 0.83

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-29.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

$1.25 COP 3,834

-25.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.99 KWD 15.02

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-37.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 KWD 1.01

$1.31 COP 4,016

152.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$2.17 COP 6,680

46.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.47 KWD 5.05

$8.29 COP 25.5K

98.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$1.36 COP 4,172

-76.47%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,350

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-24.61%

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

$20.3K KWD 6,211

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-44.55%

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

$32.77 KWD 10.05

$169 COP 519.2K

-80.58%

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

$20.76 KWD 6.37

$13.57 COP 41.8K

52.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.42 KWD 9.33

$28.32 COP 87.2K

7.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 KWD 29.31

$45.71 COP 140.7K

109.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.2 KWD 19.98

$17.22 COP 53.0K

278.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 KWD 3.41

$6.65 COP 20.5K

67.07%

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

$275 KWD 84.4

$803 COP 2.5M

-65.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,291 KWD 1,929

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-31.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.48 KWD 11.49

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-57.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.10 KWD 11.68

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-35.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 KWD 27.49

$139 COP 427.5K

-35.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 KWD 19.86

$102 COP 314.0K

-36.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 KWD 273

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 KWD 196

$653 COP 2.0M

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 KWD 542

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-8.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 KWD 419

$1,048 COP 3.2M

30.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,784 KWD 854

$655 COP 2.0M

325.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

10.94

-40.31%

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

Last update for As-salimiyah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in As-salimiyah versus $1,071 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 325% higher in As-salimiyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in As-salimiyah versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $157 in As-salimiyah vs $300 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,029 per month in As-salimiyah and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in As-salimiyah, 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 $1,352 in As-salimiyah and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,352, than in Medellin at $1,641. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – 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 As-salimiyah. 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.