Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,666 in Jubail versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,282 in Jubail versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Jubail is roughly 3% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 22% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.94

$5.95 COP 20.8K

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.62 SAR 149

$33.33 COP 116.3K

18.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 SAR 33.88

$7.23 COP 25.2K

24.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 SAR 10.82

Cappuccino

$3.37 SAR 12.63

$1.63 COP 5,687

106.75%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.09 COP 3,821

-22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.73 COP 2,548

-61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.05 COP 3,662

75.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$1.29 COP 4,515

-23.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.32 COP 4,617

22.73%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.27 COP 7,927

7.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.61

$4.35 COP 15.2K

81.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.44

$5.88 COP 20.5K

19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 SAR 41.00

$8.61 COP 30.0K

26.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.25 COP 7,844

5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.07 COP 3,733

61.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.17

$1.52 COP 5,322

8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.42 COP 4,964

-0.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.17 COP 4,084

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$1.17 COP 4,077

14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$0.89 COP 3,096

52.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.90 COP 3,146

-34.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.99 SAR 11.23

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.26

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 SAR 26.65

$2.25 COP 7,837

215.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$0.84 COP 2,916

5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.52 SAR 95.8

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-39.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 SAR 14.70

$1.41 COP 4,912

178.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.90 COP 6,634

-3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.24 SAR 64.7

$7.75 COP 27.0K

122.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.01 COP 3,509

-36.63%

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

$20.1K SAR 75.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

14.23%

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

$24.0K SAR 90.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-9.43%

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

$99.1 SAR 372

$83.7 COP 292.1K

18.39%

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

$31.64 SAR 119

$9.45 COP 33.0K

234.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 SAR 239

$24.11 COP 84.1K

163.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$25.31 COP 88.3K

250.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$19.14 COP 66.8K

84.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 SAR 51.8

$4.10 COP 14.3K

236.59%

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

$203 SAR 762

$312 COP 1.1M

-34.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,380 SAR 31.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

39.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 SAR 143

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-34.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 SAR 231

$32.56 COP 113.6K

89.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SAR 316

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$109 COP 378.8K

-26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,519

$482 COP 1.7M

-16.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,055

$379 COP 1.3M

-25.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 SAR 2,425

$837 COP 2.9M

-22.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 SAR 1,891

$723 COP 2.5M

-30.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,573

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-10.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,285 SAR 4,821

$1,223 COP 4.3M

5.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 SAR 5,997

$541 COP 1.9M

195.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.43

-60.31%

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

Last update for Jubail: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Jubail and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 195% 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: $40.00 in Jubail vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $190 per month, with Medellin 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

Jubail vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Jubail. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Jubail pays 195% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $405 in Jubail versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,051 per month in Jubail versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 64% less than in Jubail. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,051 in Jubail, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jubail. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Jubail and Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.