Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Mecca versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Mecca versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Mecca is roughly 1% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 22% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-20.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$32.60 COP 106.1K

22.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.60

$7.34 COP 23.9K

25.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$1.72 COP 5,600

85.47%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.05 COP 3,420

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.77 COP 2,515

-62.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.05 COP 3,423

59.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.30 COP 4,236

-31.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.40 COP 4,544

61.43%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.16 COP 7,047

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$4.39 COP 14.3K

57.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.23

$5.88 COP 19.1K

45.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$8.64 COP 28.1K

57.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.28 COP 7,426

1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.11 COP 3,604

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.53 COP 4,983

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.35 COP 4,410

50.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.13 COP 3,674

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.13 COP 3,692

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.85 COP 2,753

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$0.91 COP 2,975

-27.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$2.34 COP 7,630

239.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$0.84 COP 2,728

63.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-1.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.42 COP 4,623

65.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.92 COP 6,235

-4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$7.66 COP 24.9K

37.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.99 COP 3,223

-40.40%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

45.92%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-21.42%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-4.64%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$9.95 COP 32.4K

253.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$24.18 COP 78.7K

178.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$25.08 COP 81.7K

238.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$19.15 COP 62.3K

82.19%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$3.98 COP 13.0K

369.35%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$305 COP 993.5K

30.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-23.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-61.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$32.20 COP 104.8K

97.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$101 COP 327.9K

-41.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$108 COP 350.8K

-52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$477 COP 1.6M

-52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$376 COP 1.2M

-22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$845 COP 2.7M

-18.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$730 COP 2.4M

42.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

98.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,656

$1,372 COP 4.5M

67.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$617 COP 2.0M

76.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.43

-59.05%

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

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Mecca and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 77% 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: $40.00 in Mecca vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $193 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

Mecca vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 77% higher in Mecca, 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: $226 in Mecca versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Mecca versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 2% less than in Mecca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Mecca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Mecca. 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 Mecca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mecca 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 1% less than in Mecca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.