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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $807 in 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,328 in 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,849 in 'ali.

Living in Medellin is roughly 28% more expensive than in 'ali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, 'ali 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.79 BHD 2.56

-9.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$52.9 BHD 19.94

-38.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.19 BHD 1.96

41.43%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.16 BHD 1.95

-66.67%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.77 BHD 0.29

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 BHD 0.14

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.80 BHD 2.94

-78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$10.58 BHD 3.99

-70.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.70 BHD 0.64

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.32 BHD 0.50

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.37 BHD 0.89

-40.93%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.51 BHD 0.94

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.90 BHD 3.35

-50.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.52 BHD 2.83

-21.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.02 BHD 3.78

-13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.37 BHD 0.89

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.04 BHD 0.77

-45.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.67 BHD 0.63

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.21 BHD 0.46

11.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.93 BHD 0.35

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.07 BHD 0.40

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.45 BHD 0.55

-41.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.88 BHD 0.33

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.58 BHD 2.48

-64.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.82 BHD 7.09

-34.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.47 BHD 1.31

-65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.21 BHD 1.21

-22.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.61 BHD 1.74

-69.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.88 BHD 1.46

-50.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$27.03 BHD 10.19

-71.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.52 BHD 0.19

90.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$37.2K BHD 14.0K

-51.52%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.6K BHD 7,753

29.45%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$121 BHD 45.54

-33.12%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$26.75 BHD 10.08

-62.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$38.21 BHD 14.40

-36.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$10.49 BHD 3.95

-62.06%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$385 BHD 145

-20.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,940 BHD 3,370

-32.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.23 BHD 17.05

28.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$63.1 BHD 23.78

-48.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$84.5 BHD 31.86

19.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$89.9 BHD 33.88

19.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,720 BHD 1,402

-83.42%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for 'ali: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 503% 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 $53.0 in 'ali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $264 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 503% lower in 'ali. 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 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $807 in 'ali – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $807 in 'ali versus $1,031 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 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.