Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahboula and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahboula and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,249 in Mahboula versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,042 in Mahboula versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,836 in Mahboula versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Mahboula is roughly 21% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mahboula 7% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 KWD 2.06

$5.92 COP 21.4K

13.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.42 KWD 8.11

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-19.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 KWD 2.77

$7.20 COP 26.0K

25.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Cappuccino

$5.95 KWD 1.83

$1.70 COP 6,140

250.00%

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

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$1.10 COP 3,966

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 KWD 0.05

$0.72 COP 2,605

-76.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 KWD 0.47

$1.06 COP 3,809

46.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 KWD 0.31

$1.25 COP 4,497

-20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 KWD 0.53

$1.39 COP 5,022

23.02%

Eggs

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$2.26 COP 8,168

-40.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.18 KWD 1.59

$4.33 COP 15.6K

19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 KWD 2.04

$5.84 COP 21.1K

13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 KWD 3.13

$8.83 COP 31.9K

15.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KWD 0.72

$2.24 COP 8,099

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.08 COP 3,882

83.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.53 COP 5,522

12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 KWD 0.34

$1.37 COP 4,950

-18.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.13 COP 4,078

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KWD 0.36

$1.12 COP 4,036

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$0.85 COP 3,057

95.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.91 COP 3,281

-50.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$2.33 COP 8,414

-28.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$0.79 COP 2,838

-1.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.41 KWD 15.17

$41.13 COP 148.5K

20.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.44 COP 5,184

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.91 COP 6,901

-13.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 KWD 1.75

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-28.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.20 KWD 0.06

$0.94 COP 3,385

-78.72%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,042

$17.9K COP 64.7M

9.81%

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

$17.8K KWD 5,451

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-33.73%

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

$63.1 KWD 19.36

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-24.88%

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

$16.17 KWD 4.96

$9.60 COP 34.7K

68.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.68 KWD 7.88

$24.16 COP 87.2K

6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.9 KWD 29.14

$25.88 COP 93.4K

266.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.91 KWD 14.40

$19.04 COP 68.7K

146.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 KWD 3.51

$3.92 COP 14.1K

191.58%

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

$389 KWD 119

$306 COP 1.1M

26.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,527 KWD 2,004

$5,919 COP 21.4M

10.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.99 KWD 13.20

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-25.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.85 KWD 13.15

$31.82 COP 114.9K

34.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 KWD 27.38

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-10.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.2 KWD 24.93

$107 COP 386.8K

-24.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 KWD 222

$487 COP 1.8M

48.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 KWD 158

$368 COP 1.3M

39.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 KWD 542

$826 COP 3.0M

113.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 KWD 352

$716 COP 2.6M

60.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,318 KWD 405

$546 COP 2.0M

141.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

13.43

-46.84%

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

Last update for Mahboula: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $724 in Mahboula and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 142% 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: $26.00 in Mahboula vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $190 per month, with Mahboula 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

Mahboula vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mahboula pays 142% 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: $724 in Mahboula versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $26.00 in Mahboula. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,249 per month in Mahboula versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,249 in Mahboula, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Mahboula. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mahboula, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mahboula 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 21% less than in Mahboula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.