Cost of Living Comparison Between As Salt and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between As Salt and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $685 in As Salt versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,077 in As Salt versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in As Salt versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in As Salt costs roughly 59% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: As Salt is 50% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 JOD 3.46

$8.02 COP 25.3K

-39.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.12 JOD 14.95

$47.87 COP 151.0K

-55.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 JOD 5.11

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-27.00%

Cappuccino

$2.17 JOD 1.53

$3.13 COP 9,873

-30.67%

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

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$1.91 COP 6,019

-80.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 JOD 0.21

$1.51 COP 4,763

-80.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 JOD 3.95

$3.12 COP 9,853

78.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 JOD 3.00

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 JOD 0.89

$1.44 COP 4,558

-13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 JOD 0.22

$2.49 COP 7,843

-87.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 JOD 1.07

$1.77 COP 5,595

-14.12%

Eggs

$1.73 JOD 1.23

$2.96 COP 9,336

-41.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.72 JOD 3.34

$10.07 COP 31.8K

-53.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 JOD 2.34

$10.12 COP 31.9K

-67.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 JOD 9.08

$14.30 COP 45.1K

-10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 JOD 1.11

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-62.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.61 COP 5,073

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$2.25 COP 7,083

-35.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 JOD 0.54

$2.25 COP 7,104

-65.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 JOD 0.53

$2.04 COP 6,444

-63.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 JOD 0.39

$1.54 COP 4,842

-64.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 JOD 0.33

$1.17 COP 3,691

-59.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 JOD 0.41

$1.31 COP 4,121

-55.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.62 JOD 2.56

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-7.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 JOD 10.06

$14.01 COP 44.2K

1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.12 JOD 2.92

$1.74 COP 5,498

136.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 JOD 3.53

$2.87 COP 9,053

73.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 JOD 0.61

$1.22 COP 3,834

-29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.76 JOD 20.36

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-64.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 JOD 0.41

$1.31 COP 4,129

-56.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$2.19 COP 6,899

-34.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 JOD 4.87

$8.71 COP 27.5K

-20.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JOD 0.96

$1.37 COP 4,306

-0.73%

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

$21.0K JOD 14.9K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

-24.56%

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

$25.4K JOD 18.0K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-29.08%

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

$34.59 JOD 24.48

$177 COP 559.3K

-80.49%

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

$11.14 JOD 7.89

$13.88 COP 43.8K

-19.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.23 JOD 10.07

$29.72 COP 93.8K

-52.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 JOD 19.83

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-37.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.55 JOD 25.16

$17.12 COP 54.0K

107.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 JOD 5.07

$6.65 COP 21.0K

7.67%

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

$139 JOD 98.0

$813 COP 2.6M

-82.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,573 JOD 6,067

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-6.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.71 JOD 17.48

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-72.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.75 JOD 35.21

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 JOD 35.44

$138 COP 435.9K

-63.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.55 JOD 20.20

$102 COP 322.1K

-72.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 JOD 100

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-86.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 JOD 109

$663 COP 2.1M

-76.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 JOD 175

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-86.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 JOD 198

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-72.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 JOD 398

$678 COP 2.1M

-17.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

10.94

-37.75%

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

Last update for As Salt: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $141 in As Salt and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $21.00 in As Salt vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $305 per month, with As Salt cheaper across the board.

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 Salt vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Salt wins on cost – living expenses run 145% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making As Salt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $141 in As Salt versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in As Salt – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $685 per month in As Salt versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $685 in As Salt versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in As Salt but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes As Salt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but As Salt delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $685 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes As Salt hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, As Salt 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.

Expats usually find As Salt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.