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: $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Mecca versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,769 in Mecca versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Mecca is roughly 5% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-18.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$32.86 COP 117.4K

20.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$7.09 COP 25.3K

32.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$1.71 COP 6,115

84.80%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$1.10 COP 3,924

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.78 COP 2,781

-62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.09 COP 3,906

50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.26 COP 4,508

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.38 COP 4,922

62.32%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.19 COP 7,827

36.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$4.40 COP 15.7K

60.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$5.63 COP 20.1K

49.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$8.89 COP 31.8K

50.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.34 COP 8,349

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.06 COP 3,777

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$1.38 COP 4,924

47.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.15 COP 4,111

9.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.16 COP 4,155

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$0.89 COP 3,182

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.84 COP 2,997

-19.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$2.28 COP 8,145

251.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$0.86 COP 3,056

52.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-1.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$1.47 COP 5,264

65.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$1.96 COP 7,009

-6.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$7.74 COP 27.6K

36.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.95 COP 3,409

-36.84%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

47.58%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-19.04%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-5.59%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$9.50 COP 33.9K

271.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$24.23 COP 86.5K

171.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$25.89 COP 92.4K

238.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$19.00 COP 67.9K

84.05%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$3.93 COP 14.0K

373.03%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$309 COP 1.1M

30.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-22.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-61.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$32.35 COP 115.5K

93.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$103 COP 366.4K

-42.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$108 COP 387.2K

-52.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$476 COP 1.7M

-51.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$379 COP 1.4M

-25.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$838 COP 3.0M

-20.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$724 COP 2.6M

41.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

133.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$1,211 COP 4.3M

84.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$512 COP 1.8M

110.03%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Mecca and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 110% 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 $207 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

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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mecca pays 110% 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: $231 in Mecca versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,065 per month in Mecca versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 5% 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 $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,065 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 5% less than in Mecca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.