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: $1,054 in Jubail versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Jubail versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in Jubail versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Jubail is roughly 5% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 21% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.29

$5.91 COP 18.9K

14.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.37 SAR 148

$32.96 COP 105.2K

19.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 SAR 35.34

$7.43 COP 23.7K

26.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.94

Cappuccino

$3.34 SAR 12.55

$1.65 COP 5,276

102.42%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$1.10 COP 3,514

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.78 COP 2,491

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.10 COP 3,521

65.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.26 COP 4,015

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.38 COP 4,407

21.74%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$2.18 COP 6,950

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.74

$4.49 COP 14.3K

82.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 SAR 25.75

$5.79 COP 18.5K

18.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 SAR 41.60

$8.97 COP 28.6K

23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.32 COP 7,405

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.06 COP 3,397

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.52 COP 4,838

3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$1.36 COP 4,327

3.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.19

$1.13 COP 3,599

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.17 COP 3,738

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$0.90 COP 2,876

56.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.90 COP 2,861

-33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SAR 27.27

$2.23 COP 7,128

225.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$0.85 COP 2,723

7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.68 SAR 96.4

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-38.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 SAR 15.19

$1.42 COP 4,518

185.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.95 COP 6,223

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.99 SAR 63.8

$7.89 COP 25.2K

115.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.99 COP 3,160

-35.35%

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

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

11.81%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-9.48%

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

$102 SAR 381

$83.0 COP 264.9K

22.30%

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

$31.84 SAR 120

$9.70 COP 30.9K

228.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$23.52 COP 75.0K

173.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 SAR 336

$25.26 COP 80.6K

253.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.40 SAR 133

$19.10 COP 60.9K

85.34%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 SAR 52.5

$3.95 COP 12.6K

254.43%

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

$202 SAR 757

$316 COP 1.0M

-36.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

43.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 SAR 141

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-37.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 SAR 230

$31.82 COP 101.5K

92.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SAR 318

$102 COP 324.4K

-16.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$107 COP 342.8K

-25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,514

$475 COP 1.5M

-15.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 SAR 1,024

$374 COP 1.2M

-27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,390

$849 COP 2.7M

-25.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 SAR 1,868

$719 COP 2.3M

-30.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 SAR 9,554

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-22.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 SAR 4,944

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-8.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,627 SAR 6,107

$624 COP 2.0M

160.50%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Jubail and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 160% 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: $39.00 in Jubail vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $193, with Jubail cheaper for home cooking.

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 5% 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.

Average pay runs 160% higher in Jubail, 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: $403 in Jubail versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,054 per month in Jubail versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 62% less than in Jubail. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,054 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 $1,003 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 5% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.