Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibague and Qatif

For one person, living is cheaper in Qatif: $1,102 a month against $1,131 in Ibague, rent and utilities included – about $350 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ibague outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

55

Cost of Living Index in Ibague
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Ibague Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Qatif
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Qatif Living Index

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Ibague

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,131

/mo nomad

Qatif

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,102

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ibague and in Qatif

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ibague and in Qatif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,131 in Ibague versus $1,102 in Qatif.

Ibague $1,131
Qatif $1,102

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,734 in Ibague versus $1,640 in Qatif.

Ibague $1,734
Qatif $1,640

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,336 in Ibague versus $2,178 in Qatif.

Ibague $2,336
Qatif $2,178

Living in Ibague is roughly 3% more expensive than in Qatif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibague 17% lower, Qatif 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.94 COP 25.6K

$3.50 SAR 13.15

126.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.40 COP 136.7K

$34.91 SAR 131

21.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 COP 25.4K

$6.52 SAR 24.48

20.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.39

Cappuccino

$1.60 COP 5,146

$3.10 SAR 11.62

-48.39%

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

$1.13 COP 3,637

$0.77 SAR 2.89

46.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 COP 2,603

$0.19 SAR 0.72

326.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 COP 4,511

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 COP 13.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,514

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-38.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 COP 8,008

$0.91 SAR 3.42

172.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,581

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-42.19%

Eggs

$2.17 COP 6,999

$2.10 SAR 7.89

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 COP 25.8K

$5.90 SAR 22.14

35.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 COP 21.2K

$7.90 SAR 29.64

-16.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 COP 32.0K

$12.64 SAR 47.44

-21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 COP 11.7K

$2.29 SAR 8.58

58.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,168

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-42.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,812

$1.59 SAR 5.95

-6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 COP 6,055

$0.67 SAR 2.52

180.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 COP 2,535

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-26.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,382

$1.13 SAR 4.26

-34.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,612

$0.95 SAR 3.58

-14.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,664

$0.55 SAR 2.07

107.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SAR 5.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 COP 14.4K

$6.26 SAR 23.48

-28.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 COP 40.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,906

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 COP 10.6K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 COP 3,430

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-2.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 COP 201.5K

$36.50 SAR 137

71.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 COP 4,316

$2.46 SAR 9.22

-45.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 COP 1,245

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-29.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 COP 7,086

$13.24 SAR 49.70

-83.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,305

$0.61 SAR 2.29

119.67%

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

$20.3K COP 65.4M

$29.1K SAR 109.1K

-30.24%

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

$34.8K COP 112.3M

$20.3K SAR 76.3K

71.26%

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

$40.73 COP 131.3K

$104 SAR 388

-60.65%

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

$9.67 COP 31.2K

$32.15 SAR 121

-69.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.25 COP 45.9K

$59.3 SAR 222

-75.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.79 COP 89.6K

$79.4 SAR 298

-65.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.38 SAR 80.2

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 COP 15.3K

$13.07 SAR 49.03

-63.81%

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

$554 COP 1.8M

$264 SAR 992

109.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,419 COP 23.9M

$7,860 SAR 29.5K

-5.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.35 COP 81.7K

$32.16 SAR 121

-21.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 COP 157.8K

$21.10 SAR 79.2

131.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 COP 256.4K

$95.5 SAR 358

-16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 339.1K

$90.7 SAR 340

15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 COP 2.3M

$586 SAR 2,199

23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 COP 1.5M

$374 SAR 1,402

28.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 COP 4.6M

$807 SAR 3,029

76.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 COP 2.5M

$578 SAR 2,171

35.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,179 COP 7.0M

$943 SAR 3,537

131.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,720 COP 5.5M

$796 SAR 2,987

116.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

$2,257 SAR 8,471

-72.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.81

5.5

132.91%

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

Last update for Ibague: October 24, 2026

Last update for Qatif: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ibague

$478 42.3%

Qatif

$374 33.9% 21.9% $105

Groceries & Markets

Ibague

$235 20.8%

Qatif

$185 16.8% 21.1% $50

Eating Out

Ibague

$129 11.4%

Qatif

$89 8% 31.5% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Ibague

$117 10.3%

Qatif

$108 9.8% 7.5% $8.8

Getting Around

Ibague

$70 6.2%

Qatif

$46 4.2% 34.2% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ibague

$65 5.7%

Qatif

$195 17.7% 202% $130

Sport & Entertainment

Ibague

$37 3.3%

Qatif

$106 9.6% 183% $68

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Ibague and $586 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays about 3.6 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42 in Ibague vs $35 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $185 per month, with Qatif cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Ibague

🇸🇦 Qatif

🕒 Local time

16:14 4:14 PM

00:14 12:14 AM

8 h ahead of Ibague

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

530,000

87,332

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.19 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Ibague Qatif 13,200 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Ibague
Qatif

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Qatif is about 3% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Ibague. 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: $726 in Ibague versus $586 in Qatif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,131 per month in Ibague versus $1,102 in Qatif – Qatif is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Qatif runs roughly 42% less than in Ibague. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Qatif gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ibague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.