Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,884 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,591 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Madinat Hamad costs about 16% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Madinat Hamad and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Madinat Hamad 12% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-54.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.17

$33.33 COP 116.3K

60.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 BHD 2.76

$7.23 COP 25.2K

1.24%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$1.63 COP 5,687

58.90%

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

$0.80 BHD 0.30

$1.09 COP 3,821

-26.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.73 COP 2,548

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 BHD 3.02

$1.74 COP 6,065

360.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.79 BHD 4.07

$3.23 COP 11.3K

234.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$1.05 COP 3,662

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BHD 0.39

$1.29 COP 4,515

-20.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$1.32 COP 4,617

76.52%

Eggs

$2.08 BHD 0.78

$2.27 COP 7,927

-8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 BHD 3.32

$4.35 COP 15.2K

102.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 BHD 2.94

$5.88 COP 20.5K

32.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$8.61 COP 30.0K

16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 BHD 0.79

$2.25 COP 7,844

-7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BHD 0.61

$1.07 COP 3,733

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 BHD 0.66

$1.52 COP 5,322

15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$1.42 COP 4,964

-17.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$1.17 COP 4,084

-25.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.17 COP 4,077

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 BHD 0.54

$0.89 COP 3,096

62.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$0.90 COP 3,146

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 BHD 2.49

$2.25 COP 7,837

193.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.81 BHD 7.09

$11.04 COP 38.5K

70.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 BHD 1.31

$1.14 COP 3,977

203.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 BHD 1.21

$2.38 COP 8,301

34.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 BHD 0.25

$0.84 COP 2,916

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.84 BHD 13.13

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-16.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 BHD 1.71

$1.41 COP 4,912

221.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 BHD 1.25

$1.90 COP 6,634

74.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.21 BHD 9.88

$7.75 COP 27.0K

238.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.13

$1.01 COP 3,509

-64.36%

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

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

114.06%

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

$21.1K BHD 7,965

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-20.24%

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

$122 BHD 45.92

$83.7 COP 292.1K

45.60%

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

$23.47 BHD 8.84

$9.45 COP 33.0K

148.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 BHD 6.98

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-23.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 BHD 44.51

$25.31 COP 88.3K

366.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.6 BHD 19.84

$19.14 COP 66.8K

174.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 BHD 1.99

$4.10 COP 14.3K

28.54%

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

$383 BHD 144

$312 COP 1.1M

22.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,986 BHD 3,387

$5,993 COP 20.9M

49.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.38 BHD 17.11

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-21.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 BHD 23.21

$32.56 COP 113.6K

89.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 BHD 30.80

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-17.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 BHD 33.66

$109 COP 378.8K

-17.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 BHD 147

$482 COP 1.7M

-18.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 BHD 118

$379 COP 1.3M

-17.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 BHD 301

$837 COP 2.9M

-4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 BHD 251

$723 COP 2.5M

-7.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 BHD 249

$541 COP 1.9M

22.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

13.43

-36.26%

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

Last update for Madinat Hamad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Madinat Hamad versus $482 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 22% higher in Madinat Hamad, 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 $54.0 in Madinat Hamad versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $190 – 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

Madinat Hamad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,178 in Madinat Hamad, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 16% apart. Madinat Hamad costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,767 per month in Madinat Hamad and $1,525 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.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $383 per month in Madinat Hamad and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Madinat Hamad at $1,178. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madinat Hamad 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,178 in Madinat Hamad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madinat Hamad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.