Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Doha vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Doha vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,514 per month in Doha vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Doha costs about 31% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Doha and Medellin sit above the global median – Doha by 56%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 QAR 40.54

$8.04 COP 24.8K

38.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 QAR 267

$48.29 COP 148.7K

51.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 QAR 30.83

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-10.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.38 QAR 45.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 QAR 49.64

Cappuccino

$5.71 QAR 20.79

$2.94 COP 9,045

94.22%

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

$1.01 QAR 3.66

$1.86 COP 5,738

-45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 QAR 1.62

$1.46 COP 4,481

-69.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 QAR 7.52

$1.44 COP 4,431

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 QAR 5.35

$2.40 COP 7,393

-38.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 QAR 7.01

$1.70 COP 5,230

13.53%

Eggs

$3.46 QAR 12.61

$2.89 COP 8,901

19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 QAR 40.93

$10.06 COP 31.0K

11.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 QAR 29.57

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-18.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 QAR 40.72

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-21.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 QAR 7.98

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-44.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 QAR 6.75

$1.58 COP 4,880

17.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 QAR 5.54

$2.15 COP 6,627

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 QAR 4.61

$2.30 COP 7,082

-44.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 QAR 3.66

$2.00 COP 6,172

-49.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 QAR 3.70

$1.51 COP 4,648

-32.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 QAR 5.03

$1.20 COP 3,703

15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 QAR 1.87

$1.28 COP 3,948

-60.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.38 QAR 34.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 QAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 QAR 8.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 QAR 24.17

$3.84 COP 11.8K

72.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.09

$1.25 COP 3,836

-54.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.29 QAR 99.4

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-64.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 QAR 7.17

$1.31 COP 4,018

50.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 QAR 7.40

$2.17 COP 6,684

-6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.02 QAR 51.0

$8.29 COP 25.5K

69.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.14

$1.36 COP 4,174

-56.62%

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

$27.9K QAR 101.7K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

1.66%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.6K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-39.37%

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

$89.6 QAR 326

$169 COP 519.5K

-46.92%

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

$35.92 QAR 131

$13.57 COP 41.8K

164.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 QAR 320

$28.32 COP 87.2K

210.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$133 QAR 485

$45.71 COP 140.8K

191.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.48 QAR 67.3

$17.22 COP 53.0K

7.32%

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 QAR 44.72

$6.65 COP 20.5K

84.81%

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

$685 QAR 2,493

$803 COP 2.5M

-14.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K QAR 36.6K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

9.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 QAR 224

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-29.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 QAR 189

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 QAR 381

$139 COP 427.7K

-24.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 QAR 315

$102 COP 314.2K

-15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 QAR 7,012

$1,071 COP 3.3M

79.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 QAR 4,480

$653 COP 2.0M

88.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 QAR 12.9K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

83.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 QAR 8,525

$1,048 COP 3.2M

123.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,171 QAR 15.2K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

1.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 QAR 8,986

$1,697 COP 5.2M

45.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,385 QAR 12.3K

$655 COP 2.0M

416.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

10.94

-46.25%

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

Last update for Doha: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,926 in Doha 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 417% higher in Doha, 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 $73.0 in Doha versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Doha vs $300 in Medellin – so Doha 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

Doha vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 31%, 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 $3,233 per month in Doha 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 185% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $685 per month in Doha and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Doha at $2,155. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha 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, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.