Cost of Living Comparison Between Budaiya and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Budaiya and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $690 in Budaiya versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,140 in Budaiya versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,591 in Budaiya versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Budaiya costs roughly 31% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Budaiya 48% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 BHD 1.99

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-10.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 BHD 20.22

$32.96 COP 103.8K

62.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 BHD 2.70

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-3.63%

Cappuccino

$5.03 BHD 1.90

$1.65 COP 5,207

204.85%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.10 COP 3,468

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 BHD 0.10

$0.78 COP 2,458

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 BHD 2.97

$1.72 COP 5,412

358.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.50 BHD 3.96

$3.18 COP 10.0K

230.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 BHD 0.63

$1.10 COP 3,474

50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 BHD 0.50

$1.26 COP 3,962

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.38 COP 4,349

-12.32%

Eggs

$1.61 BHD 0.61

$2.18 COP 6,858

-26.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.58 BHD 0.97

$4.49 COP 14.1K

-42.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 BHD 2.98

$5.79 COP 18.2K

36.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.92 BHD 1.48

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-56.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 BHD 0.92

$2.32 COP 7,308

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 BHD 0.77

$1.06 COP 3,352

91.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BHD 0.66

$1.52 COP 4,774

14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$1.36 COP 4,270

-19.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$1.13 COP 3,552

-30.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.17 COP 3,689

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 BHD 0.51

$0.90 COP 2,838

51.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 BHD 0.21

$0.90 COP 2,823

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 BHD 2.15

$2.23 COP 7,034

156.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 BHD 5.03

$12.12 COP 38.2K

10.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$1.19 COP 3,743

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 BHD 0.66

$2.48 COP 7,815

-29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 BHD 1.02

$1.42 COP 4,459

90.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 BHD 1.02

$1.95 COP 6,141

38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.03 BHD 10.19

$7.89 COP 24.8K

242.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.13

$0.99 COP 3,118

-63.64%

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

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

113.77%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,750

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-23.27%

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

$89.1 BHD 33.56

$83.0 COP 261.4K

7.28%

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

$27.18 BHD 10.24

$9.70 COP 30.5K

180.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.00 BHD 10.18

$23.52 COP 74.1K

14.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 BHD 2.94

$3.95 COP 12.4K

97.72%

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

$382 BHD 144

$316 COP 994.2K

20.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,768 BHD 3,305

$5,975 COP 18.8M

46.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.77 BHD 17.63

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-22.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BHD 24.05

$31.82 COP 100.2K

100.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 BHD 31.41

$102 COP 320.1K

-18.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 BHD 32.92

$107 COP 338.3K

-18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

13.43

-36.26%

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

Last update for Budaiya: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Budaiya vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $193, with Budaiya cheaper for home cooking.

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

Budaiya vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budaiya wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Budaiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,035 in Budaiya and $1,504 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $690 per month in Budaiya versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $690 in Budaiya versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Budaiya but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Budaiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Budaiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $690 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budaiya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Budaiya 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 Budaiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.