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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Jeddah vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Jeddah vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,514 per month in Jeddah vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 19% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Jeddah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 10% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.53

$5.99 COP 21.3K

9.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.72 SAR 153

$32.86 COP 116.9K

23.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$7.09 COP 25.2K

15.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.45

$1.71 COP 6,093

109.36%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.10 COP 3,910

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.78 COP 2,771

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.09 COP 3,892

59.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.58

$1.26 COP 4,492

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.61

$1.38 COP 4,905

66.67%

Eggs

$2.75 SAR 10.34

$2.19 COP 7,799

25.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$4.40 COP 15.7K

68.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 SAR 28.69

$5.63 COP 20.0K

35.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 SAR 46.33

$8.89 COP 31.6K

38.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.34 COP 8,319

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.06 COP 3,764

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.50 COP 5,355

3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.78

$1.38 COP 4,906

11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.15 COP 4,097

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.16 COP 4,141

4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$0.89 COP 3,170

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.84 COP 2,986

-28.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 SAR 25.37

$2.28 COP 8,116

196.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$0.86 COP 3,045

58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.64 SAR 149

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-4.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.13

$1.47 COP 5,245

119.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.96 COP 6,984

-4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$7.74 COP 27.5K

98.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.95 COP 3,397

-33.68%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

48.46%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-19.12%

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

$105 SAR 393

$82.3 COP 292.7K

27.44%

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

$32.31 SAR 121

$9.50 COP 33.8K

240.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$24.23 COP 86.2K

189.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$25.89 COP 92.1K

251.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.17 SAR 170

$19.00 COP 67.6K

137.74%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.26

$3.93 COP 14.0K

233.84%

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

$400 SAR 1,500

$309 COP 1.1M

29.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

7.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$58.7 COP 208.7K

10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 SAR 218

$32.35 COP 115.1K

79.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 SAR 347

$103 COP 365.1K

-9.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 SAR 317

$108 COP 385.8K

-22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 SAR 1,881

$476 COP 1.7M

5.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 SAR 1,464

$379 COP 1.3M

3.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 SAR 3,375

$838 COP 3.0M

7.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 SAR 2,321

$724 COP 2.6M

-14.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 SAR 6,100

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-41.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,805

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-16.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 SAR 6,219

$512 COP 1.8M

223.74%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Jeddah versus $476 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 224% 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 $41.00 in Jeddah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $188 – 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: $1,202 in Jeddah, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 19% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,803 per month in Jeddah and $1,519 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 $41.00 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 $1,202 in Jeddah and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Jeddah at $1,202. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,202 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.