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: $974 in Mecca versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Mecca versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,935 in Mecca versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 43% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 29% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-42.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-44.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-31.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.91 COP 9,167

-9.97%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$1.94 COP 6,122

-65.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$1.52 COP 4,792

-84.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.36 COP 4,296

31.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$2.39 COP 7,519

-60.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$1.70 COP 5,356

28.82%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.87 COP 9,038

-16.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-37.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-23.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-14.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-51.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.57 COP 4,950

6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.13 COP 6,695

-30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$2.21 COP 6,972

-23.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$2.05 COP 6,447

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.50 COP 4,737

-9.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.19 COP 3,747

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$1.16 COP 3,647

-56.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$3.90 COP 12.3K

70.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.17 COP 3,679

14.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.28 COP 4,045

41.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$2.09 COP 6,589

-16.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$8.62 COP 27.1K

55.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.30 COP 4,088

-53.85%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

69.81%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-39.81%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$176 COP 554.5K

-56.90%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$13.37 COP 42.1K

163.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$29.89 COP 94.1K

126.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$44.76 COP 141.0K

75.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$17.06 COP 53.7K

101.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$6.20 COP 19.5K

94.84%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$793 COP 2.5M

-50.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-49.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-73.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$58.5 COP 184.1K

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$136 COP 429.3K

-64.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$103 COP 324.7K

-50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-45.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$680 COP 2.1M

-53.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-24.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-56.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

56.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$1,701 COP 5.4M

35.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$665 COP 2.1M

62.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

10.94

-52.01%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Mecca and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Mecca vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $303 per month, with Mecca 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

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 63% 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: $576 in Mecca versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Mecca versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.