Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Jeddah vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Jeddah vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Jeddah vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 18% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Jeddah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 9% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$6.16 COP 20.1K

5.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$32.60 COP 106.1K

21.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$7.34 COP 23.9K

6.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$1.72 COP 5,599

119.77%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.05 COP 3,420

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.77 COP 2,515

-67.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.05 COP 3,423

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$1.30 COP 4,236

-27.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.40 COP 4,544

59.29%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.16 COP 7,046

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$4.39 COP 14.3K

69.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$5.88 COP 19.1K

32.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.50

$8.64 COP 28.1K

43.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.28 COP 7,425

-4.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.11 COP 3,603

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.53 COP 4,982

0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.35 COP 4,410

17.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.13 COP 3,674

17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.13 COP 3,692

10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$0.85 COP 2,753

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.91 COP 2,975

-39.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$2.34 COP 7,629

190.17%

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)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.84 COP 2,727

54.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-1.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.89

$1.42 COP 4,623

123.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.92 COP 6,235

-3.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$7.66 COP 24.9K

96.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.99 COP 3,223

-39.39%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

46.56%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-19.98%

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

$108 SAR 406

$80.8 COP 263.1K

33.76%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$9.95 COP 32.4K

224.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$24.18 COP 78.7K

187.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$25.08 COP 81.6K

263.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$19.15 COP 62.3K

135.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$3.98 COP 13.0K

231.91%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$305 COP 993.4K

33.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

5.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 235

$58.1 COP 189.2K

7.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$32.20 COP 104.8K

79.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$101 COP 327.9K

-5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$108 COP 350.8K

-22.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$477 COP 1.6M

6.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$376 COP 1.2M

2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$845 COP 2.7M

7.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$730 COP 2.4M

-17.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-48.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,812

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-26.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$617 COP 2.0M

169.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.43

-66.49%

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

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah 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 169% higher in Jeddah, 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 $40.00 in Jeddah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Jeddah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Jeddah, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 18% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Jeddah 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,218 in Jeddah and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Jeddah at $1,218. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,218 in Jeddah. 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, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.