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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Hawalli vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,032 per month in Hawalli vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,957 per month in Hawalli vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Hawalli costs about 7% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hawalli and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Hawalli 17% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 KWD 1.49

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-21.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 KWD 21.12

$32.60 COP 106.1K

110.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.91 KWD 2.74

$7.34 COP 23.9K

21.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$4.42 KWD 1.36

$1.72 COP 5,600

156.98%

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

$0.56 KWD 0.17

$1.05 COP 3,420

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.77 COP 2,515

-58.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.05 COP 3,423

48.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 KWD 0.39

$1.30 COP 4,236

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 KWD 0.54

$1.40 COP 4,544

26.43%

Eggs

$2.01 KWD 0.62

$2.16 COP 7,047

-6.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-25.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 KWD 0.99

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-44.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.67 KWD 1.74

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-34.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 KWD 0.73

$2.28 COP 7,426

3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.11 COP 3,604

76.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 KWD 0.56

$1.53 COP 4,983

18.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.35 COP 4,410

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$1.13 COP 3,674

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$1.13 COP 3,692

15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$0.85 COP 2,753

96.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$0.91 COP 2,975

-64.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 KWD 0.91

$2.34 COP 7,630

27.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$0.84 COP 2,728

-5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.23 KWD 15.13

$40.57 COP 132.1K

21.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$1.42 COP 4,623

125.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$1.92 COP 6,235

65.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.10 KWD 4.95

$7.66 COP 24.9K

110.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.99 COP 3,223

-62.63%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,603

$18.0K COP 58.7M

19.13%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,112

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-25.33%

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

$63.5 KWD 19.53

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-21.40%

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

$18.61 KWD 5.72

$9.95 COP 32.4K

87.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 KWD 8.05

$24.18 COP 78.7K

8.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.82 KWD 15.31

$25.08 COP 81.7K

98.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.07 KWD 14.16

$19.15 COP 62.3K

140.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 KWD 3.05

$3.98 COP 13.0K

149.50%

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

$409 KWD 126

$305 COP 993.5K

33.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,711 KWD 2,063

$6,059 COP 19.7M

10.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.40 KWD 9.96

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-44.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.93 KWD 13.20

$32.20 COP 104.8K

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 KWD 26.91

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 KWD 25.51

$108 COP 350.8K

-23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KWD 178

$477 COP 1.6M

21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 KWD 150

$376 COP 1.2M

30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$999 KWD 307

$845 COP 2.7M

18.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,212 KWD 987

$730 COP 2.4M

339.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,852 KWD 569

$617 COP 2.0M

200.28%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $580 in Hawalli versus $477 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 200% 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 $69.0 in Hawalli versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $141 in Hawalli vs $193 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: $1,107 in Hawalli, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 7% apart. Hawalli costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Hawalli and $1,546 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 36% 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 $69.0 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 $1,031, than in Hawalli at $1,107. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,107 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.