Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Manama and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,496 in Manama versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,408 in Manama versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Manama versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Manama is roughly 48% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manama is 12% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$5.99 COP 21.4K

8.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.16

$32.86 COP 117.4K

62.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BHD 2.74

$7.09 COP 25.3K

2.54%

Cappuccino

$5.34 BHD 2.01

$1.71 COP 6,115

212.28%

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

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$1.10 COP 3,924

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$0.78 COP 2,781

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 BHD 3.05

$1.68 COP 5,997

381.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.54 BHD 3.97

$3.07 COP 11.0K

243.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 BHD 0.64

$1.09 COP 3,906

56.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BHD 0.48

$1.26 COP 4,508

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 BHD 0.91

$1.38 COP 4,922

76.09%

Eggs

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$2.19 COP 7,827

12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 BHD 3.24

$4.40 COP 15.7K

95.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 BHD 2.92

$5.63 COP 20.1K

37.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 BHD 3.88

$8.89 COP 31.8K

15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 BHD 0.89

$2.34 COP 8,349

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BHD 0.79

$1.06 COP 3,777

99.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 BHD 0.44

$1.38 COP 4,924

-14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$1.15 COP 4,111

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$1.16 COP 4,155

-6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$0.89 COP 3,182

64.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BHD 0.32

$0.84 COP 2,997

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 BHD 2.48

$2.28 COP 8,145

188.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 BHD 7.12

$10.64 COP 38.0K

77.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

$1.20 COP 4,284

186.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BHD 1.24

$2.47 COP 8,824

33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$0.86 COP 3,056

-3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.28 BHD 11.79

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-24.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 BHD 1.72

$1.47 COP 5,264

211.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.96 BHD 1.49

$1.96 COP 7,009

102.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$7.74 COP 27.6K

247.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 BHD 0.19

$0.95 COP 3,409

-45.26%

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

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

103.09%

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

$20.7K BHD 7,796

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-21.92%

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

$121 BHD 45.53

$82.3 COP 293.7K

46.83%

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

$26.86 BHD 10.13

$9.50 COP 33.9K

182.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 BHD 14.52

$24.23 COP 86.5K

58.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 BHD 26.78

$25.89 COP 92.4K

174.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.13 BHD 17.01

$19.00 COP 67.9K

137.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 BHD 4.06

$3.93 COP 14.0K

174.30%

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

$382 BHD 144

$309 COP 1.1M

23.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,953 BHD 3,375

$5,965 COP 21.3M

50.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.73 BHD 17.62

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-20.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BHD 24.03

$32.35 COP 115.5K

97.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 BHD 31.98

$103 COP 366.4K

-17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 BHD 33.47

$108 COP 387.2K

-18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 BHD 308

$476 COP 1.7M

71.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 BHD 211

$379 COP 1.4M

47.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 BHD 675

$838 COP 3.0M

113.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 BHD 469

$724 COP 2.6M

71.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 BHD 991

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-5.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,941 BHD 732

$1,211 COP 4.3M

60.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,360 BHD 890

$512 COP 1.8M

361.15%

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 Manama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $818 in Manama and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 361% 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: $53.0 in Manama vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $188 per month, with Medellin 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

Manama vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Manama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Manama pays 361% 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: $818 in Manama versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 32% less than in Manama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $382 in Manama versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,496 in Manama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Manama. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manama 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 48% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.