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: $1,251 in Mahboula versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,031 in Mahboula versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,810 in Mahboula versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Mahboula is roughly 23% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mahboula 7% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 KWD 2.06

$5.95 COP 20.8K

12.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 KWD 8.10

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KWD 2.75

$7.23 COP 25.2K

23.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Cappuccino

$5.88 KWD 1.81

$1.63 COP 5,687

260.74%

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

$0.51 KWD 0.16

$1.09 COP 3,821

-53.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 KWD 0.04

$0.73 COP 2,548

-80.82%

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)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.05 COP 3,662

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 KWD 0.29

$1.29 COP 4,515

-27.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.32 COP 4,617

35.61%

Eggs

$1.34 KWD 0.41

$2.27 COP 7,927

-40.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 KWD 1.57

$4.35 COP 15.2K

17.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 KWD 1.94

$5.88 COP 20.5K

7.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 KWD 3.13

$8.61 COP 30.0K

18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

$2.25 COP 7,844

7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$1.07 COP 3,733

82.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.52 COP 5,322

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$1.42 COP 4,964

-21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 KWD 0.37

$1.17 COP 4,084

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KWD 0.34

$1.17 COP 4,077

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$0.89 COP 3,096

80.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.90 COP 3,146

-48.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$2.25 COP 7,837

-29.78%

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)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$0.84 COP 2,916

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.84 KWD 15.00

$41.95 COP 146.4K

16.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.41 COP 4,912

17.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.90 COP 6,634

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 KWD 1.81

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-24.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.16 KWD 0.05

$1.01 COP 3,509

-84.16%

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

$19.5K KWD 6,000

$17.6K COP 61.4M

11.10%

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

$17.7K KWD 5,439

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-33.17%

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

$61.3 KWD 18.84

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-26.71%

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

$16.24 KWD 4.99

$9.45 COP 33.0K

71.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.02 KWD 7.99

$24.11 COP 84.1K

7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.5 KWD 29.33

$25.31 COP 88.3K

277.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.19 KWD 14.50

$19.14 COP 66.8K

146.55%

Cinema Ticket

$11.34 KWD 3.48

$4.10 COP 14.3K

176.59%

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

$399 KWD 123

$312 COP 1.1M

27.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,527 KWD 2,005

$5,993 COP 20.9M

8.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 KWD 13.12

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 KWD 13.13

$32.56 COP 113.6K

31.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 KWD 26.76

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-12.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 KWD 24.65

$109 COP 378.8K

-26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 KWD 229

$482 COP 1.7M

54.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 KWD 156

$379 COP 1.3M

33.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 KWD 551

$837 COP 2.9M

114.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 KWD 353

$723 COP 2.5M

59.02%

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)

$1,318 KWD 405

$541 COP 1.9M

143.74%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Mahboula and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 144% 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 $170 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mahboula pays 144% 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: $746 in Mahboula versus $482 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 $1,251 per month in Mahboula versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,251 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 23% less than in Mahboula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.