Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibague and Qatif Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibague and Qatif

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $613 in Ibague versus $1,055 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $929 in Ibague versus $1,678 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,246 in Ibague versus $2,301 in Qatif.

Living in Ibague costs roughly 42% less than in Qatif, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibague 54% lower, Qatif 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 COP 17.2K

$3.39 SAR 12.71

40.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.76 COP 78.6K

$48.21 SAR 181

-54.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 COP 18.2K

$8.10 SAR 30.38

-37.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

Cappuccino

$0.95 COP 3,437

$3.53 SAR 13.23

-73.09%

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

$1.03 COP 3,701

$0.77 SAR 2.89

33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,331

$0.26 SAR 0.97

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.76 COP 2,736

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 8,014

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 COP 4,030

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 COP 2,712

$0.80 SAR 3.01

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 COP 2,557

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-66.19%

Eggs

$2.01 COP 7,257

$2.33 SAR 8.73

-13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.66 COP 16.8K

$6.20 SAR 23.26

-24.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 COP 12.8K

$7.16 SAR 26.83

-50.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.81 COP 17.4K

$10.02 SAR 37.58

-52.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 COP 10.8K

$2.14 SAR 8.01

39.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 COP 1,683

$1.54 SAR 5.76

-69.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 COP 2,508

$1.44 SAR 5.38

-52.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 COP 1,779

$0.72 SAR 2.68

-31.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 COP 1,796

$1.28 SAR 4.78

-60.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 COP 1,263

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-73.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 COP 1,649

$1.11 SAR 4.15

-58.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 COP 1,466

$0.51 SAR 1.90

-19.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 10.3K

$7.51 SAR 28.17

-62.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.68 COP 34.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,683

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,468

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-37.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.91 SAR 150

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 COP 5,371

$3.12 SAR 11.71

-52.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 5,442

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-3.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 COP 8,785

$13.41 SAR 50.3

-81.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,611

$0.63 SAR 2.37

58.73%

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

$16.0K COP 57.9M

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

-28.70%

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

$25.1K COP 90.8M

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

28.26%

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

$47.21 COP 170.4K

$103 SAR 387

-54.28%

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

$5.85 COP 21.1K

$37.05 SAR 139

-84.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.12 COP 79.8K

$58.9 SAR 221

-62.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.46 COP 160.5K

$95.3 SAR 357

-53.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.2 SAR 214

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 COP 14.1K

$15.22 SAR 57.1

-74.38%

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

$61.8 COP 222.9K

$392 SAR 1,470

-84.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,466 COP 8.9M

$8,106 SAR 30.4K

-69.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 COP 213.4K

$52.4 SAR 196

12.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.93 COP 155.0K

$50.8 SAR 190

-15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 COP 305.9K

$91.5 SAR 343

-7.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.5 COP 222.2K

$85.4 SAR 320

-27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 COP 835.7K

$356 SAR 1,333

-34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 COP 532.6K

$282 SAR 1,058

-47.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 COP 1.4M

$710 SAR 2,661

-43.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 COP 764.4K

$495 SAR 1,855

-57.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,330 COP 4.8M

$943 SAR 3,537

41.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$919 COP 3.3M

$776 SAR 2,910

18.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 COP 1.8M

$1,869 SAR 7,009

-73.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

4.33

198.61%

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

Last update for Ibague: April 28, 2026

Last update for Qatif: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Ibague and $356 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 283% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Ibague vs $48.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $173 per month, with Ibague cheaper across the board.

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

Ibague vs Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Qatif earns 283% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $232 in Ibague versus $356 in Qatif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Qatif. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $613 per month in Ibague versus $1,055 in Qatif – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $613 in Ibague versus $1,055 in Qatif, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Qatif. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibague is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Qatif, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ibague and Qatif 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 Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Qatif. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.