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: $1,240 in Mahboula versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,021 in Mahboula versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Mahboula versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Mahboula costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mahboula is 10% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 KWD 2.02

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-18.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.57 KWD 7.84

$48.29 COP 148.7K

-47.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 KWD 2.72

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-5.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$5.57 KWD 1.71

$2.94 COP 9,045

89.46%

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

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$1.86 COP 5,738

-74.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 KWD 0.06

$1.46 COP 4,481

-87.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.44 COP 4,431

10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 KWD 0.29

$2.40 COP 7,393

-60.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.70 COP 5,230

12.94%

Eggs

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$2.89 COP 8,901

-53.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 KWD 1.34

$10.06 COP 31.0K

-56.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 KWD 2.02

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-34.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 KWD 3.13

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-28.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-39.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 KWD 0.57

$1.58 COP 4,880

16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.55

$2.15 COP 6,627

-16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$2.30 COP 7,082

-51.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

$2.00 COP 6,172

-31.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KWD 0.35

$1.51 COP 4,648

-23.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$1.20 COP 3,703

98.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$1.28 COP 3,948

-60.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 KWD 0.48

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-58.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$1.25 COP 3,836

-32.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.80 KWD 14.96

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-37.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.31 COP 4,018

22.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$2.17 COP 6,684

-27.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 KWD 1.72

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-32.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.18 KWD 0.06

$1.36 COP 4,174

-86.76%

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

$19.1K KWD 5,859

$27.5K COP 84.6M

-30.45%

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

$17.8K KWD 5,450

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-51.35%

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

$65.7 KWD 20.16

$169 COP 519.5K

-61.04%

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

$16.24 KWD 4.98

$13.57 COP 41.8K

19.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.40 KWD 9.32

$28.32 COP 87.2K

7.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 KWD 29.57

$45.71 COP 140.8K

111.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.77 KWD 14.95

$17.22 COP 53.0K

183.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 KWD 3.46

$6.65 COP 20.5K

69.92%

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

$307 KWD 94.0

$803 COP 2.5M

-61.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,687 KWD 2,050

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-27.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.86 KWD 11.61

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-56.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.59 KWD 12.14

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 KWD 30.05

$139 COP 427.7K

-29.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 KWD 27.60

$102 COP 314.2K

-11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 KWD 221

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-32.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 KWD 154

$653 COP 2.0M

-23.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 KWD 549

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-7.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 KWD 346

$1,048 COP 3.2M

7.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,284 KWD 394

$655 COP 2.0M

96.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

10.94

-40.31%

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

Last update for Mahboula: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Mahboula and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 96% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Mahboula vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $300 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

Mahboula is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 96% higher in Mahboula, 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: $720 in Mahboula versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,240 per month in Mahboula versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,240 in Mahboula versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mahboula is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.