Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawalli and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hawalli and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,101 per month in Hawalli vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,962 per month in Hawalli vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,824 per month in Hawalli vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Hawalli costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hawalli and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Hawalli 18% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 KWD 1.49

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-19.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 KWD 20.99

$32.86 COP 117.2K

106.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 KWD 2.71

$7.09 COP 25.3K

23.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$4.54 KWD 1.40

$1.71 COP 6,105

165.50%

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

$0.52 KWD 0.16

$1.10 COP 3,918

-52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.78 COP 2,776

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 KWD 0.50

$1.09 COP 3,899

46.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.26 COP 4,500

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.56

$1.38 COP 4,914

30.43%

Eggs

$2.03 KWD 0.63

$2.19 COP 7,813

-7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.37 KWD 1.04

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-23.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 KWD 1.74

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-36.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 KWD 0.73

$2.34 COP 8,334

1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.61

$1.06 COP 3,771

84.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.56

$1.50 COP 5,365

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.45

$1.38 COP 4,915

4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 KWD 0.37

$1.15 COP 4,104

5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.41

$1.16 COP 4,148

12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 KWD 0.50

$0.89 COP 3,176

83.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.84 COP 2,992

-61.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 KWD 0.92

$2.28 COP 8,131

30.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KWD 0.25

$0.86 COP 3,051

-8.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.30 KWD 14.91

$41.40 COP 147.6K

16.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

$1.47 COP 5,255

118.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

$1.96 COP 6,997

67.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.02 KWD 4.95

$7.74 COP 27.6K

106.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.95 COP 3,403

-61.05%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,630

$18.1K COP 64.6M

18.42%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,141

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-24.91%

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

$61.8 KWD 19.09

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-24.83%

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

$18.89 KWD 5.83

$9.50 COP 33.9K

98.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.93 KWD 8.01

$24.23 COP 86.4K

7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.89 KWD 15.41

$25.89 COP 92.3K

92.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.54 KWD 14.37

$19.00 COP 67.7K

144.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.79 KWD 3.02

$3.93 COP 14.0K

149.11%

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

$405 KWD 125

$309 COP 1.1M

30.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,666 KWD 2,059

$5,965 COP 21.3M

11.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.17 KWD 9.93

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-45.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.57 KWD 13.15

$32.35 COP 115.3K

31.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 KWD 27.58

$103 COP 365.7K

-12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 KWD 25.09

$108 COP 386.5K

-25.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 KWD 183

$476 COP 1.7M

24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 KWD 152

$379 COP 1.4M

29.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 KWD 301

$838 COP 3.0M

16.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,313 KWD 1,023

$724 COP 2.6M

357.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,854 KWD 573

$512 COP 1.8M

262.28%

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 Hawalli: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $594 in Hawalli versus $476 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 262% higher in Hawalli, 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 $68.0 in Hawalli versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $143 in Hawalli vs $188 in Medellin – so Hawalli 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

Hawalli vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,101 in Hawalli, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 9% apart. Hawalli costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,651 per month in Hawalli and $1,519 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Hawalli – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Hawalli and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Hawalli at $1,101. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hawalli it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hawalli has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,101 in Hawalli. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Hawalli makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.