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: $612 in Ibague versus $1,087 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $920 in Ibague versus $1,707 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,227 in Ibague versus $2,328 in Qatif.

Living in Ibague costs roughly 44% less than in Qatif, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibague 54% lower, Qatif 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 COP 15.1K

$3.44 SAR 12.94

39.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.02 COP 69.4K

$47.42 SAR 178

-53.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 COP 15.4K

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-39.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$1.01 COP 3,180

$3.66 SAR 13.73

-72.40%

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

$0.95 COP 2,996

$0.77 SAR 2.91

23.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,050

$0.26 SAR 0.97

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.71 COP 2,234

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 COP 6,809

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 3,683

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 COP 2,265

$0.81 SAR 3.04

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,373

$2.03 SAR 7.64

-63.05%

Eggs

$2.00 COP 6,309

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.71 COP 14.9K

$6.03 SAR 22.64

-21.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 COP 11.3K

$7.38 SAR 27.72

-51.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 COP 15.4K

$9.67 SAR 36.30

-49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 COP 9,219

$2.12 SAR 7.95

38.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,450

$1.48 SAR 5.56

-68.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,335

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-48.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 COP 1,568

$0.75 SAR 2.83

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 COP 1,575

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-60.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 COP 1,176

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-72.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 COP 1,441

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-58.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 COP 1,292

$0.55 SAR 2.08

-25.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 8,997

$7.68 SAR 28.83

-62.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 COP 34.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,003

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,276

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.26 SAR 147

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 4,670

$3.12 SAR 11.72

-52.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 COP 4,674

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-9.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 COP 7,446

$13.22 SAR 49.64

-82.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,130

$0.65 SAR 2.43

52.31%

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

$16.0K COP 50.4M

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

-29.10%

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

$25.4K COP 80.1M

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

29.36%

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

$46.91 COP 147.8K

$104 SAR 392

-55.02%

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

$5.84 COP 18.4K

$37.20 SAR 140

-84.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.65 COP 68.2K

$59.6 SAR 224

-63.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 COP 136.4K

$94.2 SAR 354

-54.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.9 SAR 214

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 COP 12.5K

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-74.15%

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

$61.2 COP 193.0K

$405 SAR 1,521

-84.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,427 COP 7.6M

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

-70.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 COP 183.5K

$51.3 SAR 192

13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.68 COP 131.4K

$50.9 SAR 191

-18.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 COP 265.7K

$91.5 SAR 343

-7.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.7 COP 191.4K

$85.8 SAR 322

-29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 739.4K

$360 SAR 1,351

-34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 COP 453.3K

$281 SAR 1,054

-48.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 COP 1.2M

$717 SAR 2,693

-45.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 COP 678.5K

$486 SAR 1,826

-55.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,476 COP 4.7M

$949 SAR 3,563

55.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 COP 3.2M

$796 SAR 2,990

26.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$557 COP 1.8M

$2,248 SAR 8,440

-75.23%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Qatif: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Ibague and $360 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 304% 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 $47.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $134 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 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 304% lower in Qatif. 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: $235 in Ibague versus $360 in Qatif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Qatif. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $612 per month in Ibague versus $1,087 in Qatif – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $612 in Ibague versus $1,087 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 77% less than in Qatif. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.