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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Hawalli vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,010 per month in Hawalli vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,851 per month in Hawalli vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Hawalli is about 32% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hawalli sits 15% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 KWD 1.48

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-40.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 KWD 19.97

$48.26 COP 151.7K

34.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 KWD 2.78

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-7.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 KWD 0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

Cappuccino

$4.84 KWD 1.49

$2.91 COP 9,149

66.32%

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

$0.41 KWD 0.13

$1.94 COP 6,110

-78.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.12

$1.52 COP 4,783

-75.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.51

$1.36 COP 4,287

20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 KWD 0.47

$2.39 COP 7,505

-35.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.70 COP 5,346

14.71%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$2.87 COP 9,021

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-67.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-70.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.29 KWD 1.02

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-77.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 KWD 0.78

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-37.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.57 COP 4,940

24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$2.13 COP 6,682

-11.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.21 COP 6,959

-32.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$2.05 COP 6,435

-35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.46

$1.50 COP 4,728

-1.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 KWD 0.70

$1.19 COP 3,740

91.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 KWD 0.17

$1.16 COP 3,640

-52.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 KWD 0.82

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-31.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$1.17 COP 3,672

-29.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.38 KWD 15.24

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-36.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 KWD 1.46

$1.28 COP 4,038

269.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

$2.09 COP 6,576

57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.07 KWD 4.96

$8.62 COP 27.1K

86.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.30 COP 4,080

-72.31%

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

$21.4K KWD 6,595

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-22.76%

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

$20.3K KWD 6,262

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-42.88%

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

$64.7 KWD 19.97

$176 COP 553.4K

-63.26%

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

$22.99 KWD 7.10

$13.37 COP 42.0K

71.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 KWD 7.89

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-14.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 KWD 19.81

$44.76 COP 140.7K

43.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 KWD 3.44

$6.20 COP 19.5K

79.52%

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

$304 KWD 93.7

$793 COP 2.5M

-61.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,531 KWD 2,942

$9,019 COP 28.4M

5.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.13 KWD 9.92

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-62.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.36 KWD 12.15

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-32.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 KWD 29.98

$136 COP 428.4K

-28.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 KWD 27.16

$103 COP 324.1K

-14.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 KWD 180

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-44.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 KWD 150

$680 COP 2.1M

-28.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 KWD 303

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-51.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,180 KWD 982

$1,169 COP 3.7M

172.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,881 KWD 581

$665 COP 2.1M

182.69%

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 Hawalli: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $584 in Hawalli versus $1,060 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 183% higher in Hawalli, 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 $65.0 in Hawalli versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $145 in Hawalli vs $303 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: $1,169 in Hawalli, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 47% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,754 per month in Hawalli and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hawalli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Hawalli and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawalli, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Hawalli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,169 in Hawalli to $1,716 in Medellin. 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 Hawalli. 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.