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: $1,217 in Mahboula versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Mahboula versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Mahboula versus $2,143 in Medellin.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mahboula 9% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 KWD 2.05

$5.91 COP 18.9K

11.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 KWD 8.11

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-20.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 KWD 2.85

$7.43 COP 23.7K

23.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 KWD 0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

Cappuccino

$5.77 KWD 1.79

$1.65 COP 5,276

249.70%

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

$0.48 KWD 0.15

$1.10 COP 3,514

-56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 KWD 0.05

$0.78 COP 2,491

-80.77%

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)

$1.54 KWD 0.48

$1.10 COP 3,521

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 KWD 0.29

$1.26 COP 4,015

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.56

$1.38 COP 4,407

30.43%

Eggs

$1.34 KWD 0.42

$2.18 COP 6,950

-38.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 KWD 1.59

$4.49 COP 14.3K

14.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 KWD 1.97

$5.79 COP 18.5K

9.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 KWD 3.22

$8.97 COP 28.6K

15.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KWD 0.73

$2.32 COP 7,405

1.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.06 COP 3,397

86.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.56

$1.52 COP 4,838

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KWD 0.35

$1.36 COP 4,327

-16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.13 COP 3,599

11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 KWD 0.36

$1.17 COP 3,738

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$0.90 COP 2,876

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.90 COP 2,861

-48.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

$2.23 COP 7,128

-25.11%

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)

$0.79 KWD 0.24

$0.85 COP 2,723

-7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.97 KWD 15.20

$41.62 COP 132.8K

17.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.42 COP 4,518

11.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

$1.95 COP 6,223

-14.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 KWD 1.75

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.16 KWD 0.05

$0.99 COP 3,160

-83.84%

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

$19.6K KWD 6,081

$17.6K COP 56.2M

11.33%

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

$17.8K KWD 5,524

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-33.57%

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

$61.3 KWD 19.02

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-26.17%

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

$16.37 KWD 5.08

$9.70 COP 30.9K

68.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.84 KWD 8.02

$23.52 COP 75.0K

9.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.7 KWD 28.77

$25.26 COP 80.6K

267.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.43 KWD 14.10

$19.10 COP 60.9K

137.85%

Cinema Ticket

$11.24 KWD 3.49

$3.95 COP 12.6K

184.56%

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

$392 KWD 122

$316 COP 1.0M

24.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,526 KWD 2,025

$5,975 COP 19.1M

9.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.24 KWD 13.11

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-29.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.25 KWD 13.11

$31.82 COP 101.5K

32.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 KWD 27.61

$102 COP 324.4K

-12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 KWD 25.23

$107 COP 342.8K

-24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 KWD 226

$475 COP 1.5M

53.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 KWD 156

$374 COP 1.2M

34.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,808 KWD 561

$849 COP 2.7M

112.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 KWD 352

$719 COP 2.3M

57.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,302 KWD 404

$624 COP 2.0M

108.58%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Mahboula and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 109% 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 $193 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.

Average pay runs 109% 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: $728 in Mahboula versus $475 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 $1,217 per month in Mahboula versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,217 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.