Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $813 in 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,317 in 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,821 in 'ali.

Living in Medellin is roughly 25% more expensive than 'ali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, 'ali 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.56 BHD 2.47

-8.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$53.7 BHD 20.25

-38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.28 BHD 1.99

34.28%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.42 BHD 2.04

-68.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.78 BHD 0.30

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.37 BHD 0.14

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$7.86 BHD 2.96

-78.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$10.77 BHD 4.06

-71.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.72 BHD 0.65

-36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.29 BHD 0.49

-2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.51 BHD 0.95

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.55 BHD 3.23

-48.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.86 BHD 2.96

-28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.06 BHD 3.79

-11.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.37 BHD 0.89

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.03 BHD 0.76

-47.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.69 BHD 0.64

-11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.16 BHD 0.44

18.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.89 BHD 0.34

29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.08 BHD 0.41

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.51 BHD 0.57

-41.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.88 BHD 0.33

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$6.74 BHD 2.54

-66.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$18.47 BHD 6.96

-42.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.34 BHD 1.26

-64.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.32 BHD 1.25

-25.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$4.73 BHD 1.78

-68.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.89 BHD 1.47

-49.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$26.85 BHD 10.12

-71.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.57 BHD 0.21

66.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$37.7K BHD 14.2K

-51.86%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.6K BHD 7,759

28.69%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$121 BHD 45.67

-32.11%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$27.33 BHD 10.30

-65.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$38.29 BHD 14.43

-36.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.64 BHD 4.01

-63.06%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$395 BHD 149

-21.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$9,058 BHD 3,415

-34.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$45.39 BHD 17.11

29.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$63.1 BHD 23.78

-48.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$83.6 BHD 31.53

22.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$86.8 BHD 32.73

24.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,723 BHD 1,404

-86.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.56

56.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for 'ali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 627% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in 'ali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $263 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

Medellin vs 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, 'ali earns 627% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $813 in 'ali – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $813 in 'ali versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali 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, Medellin and 'ali 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 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.