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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $1,038 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $1,615 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $2,192 in 'ibri.

Living in Medellin is roughly 65% more expensive than in 'ibri, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, 'ibri is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$5.15 OMR 1.98

55.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$33.97 OMR 13.08

42.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$7.58 OMR 2.92

28.89%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-38.48%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.90 OMR 0.35

115.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.29 OMR 0.11

424.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$12.81 OMR 4.93

-75.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-56.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.31 OMR 0.50

3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.76 OMR 0.29

214.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.33 OMR 0.51

27.82%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.11 OMR 0.81

36.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.66 OMR 2.95

29.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$5.08 OMR 1.95

112.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$10.46 OMR 4.03

40.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.64 OMR 1.02

54.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.93 OMR 0.74

-18.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.60 OMR 0.62

33.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.06 OMR 0.41

108.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.06 OMR 0.41

93.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.80 OMR 0.31

87.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.76 OMR 0.29

56.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.54 OMR 0.21

114.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.34 OMR 2.44

-38.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$15.31 OMR 5.89

-5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$5.71 OMR 2.20

-72.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-68.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$2.56 OMR 0.99

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.34 OMR 0.51

55.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$7.71 OMR 2.97

11.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.62 OMR 0.24

109.68%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$25.9K OMR 9,967

6.83%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$22.4K OMR 8,611

58.77%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$79.0 OMR 30.40

122.99%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$30.98 OMR 11.93

-56.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$70.1 OMR 26.97

-57.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$76.5 OMR 29.45

-41.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$10.33 OMR 3.98

-39.98%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$290 OMR 112

173.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$10.5K OMR 4,040

-14.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$56.9 OMR 21.90

50.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$43.50 OMR 16.75

34.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$89.2 OMR 34.34

52.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$94.7 OMR 36.45

8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$232 OMR 89.4

356.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$184 OMR 70.7

269.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$476 OMR 183

322.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$372 OMR 143

214.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$2,956 OMR 1,138

-77.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.25

108.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Medellin and $232 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 344% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $34.00 in 'ibri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $242 per month, with 'ibri 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 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and 'ibri differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,716 vs $1,038 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 344% lower in 'ibri. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,060 in Medellin versus $232 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $1,038 in 'ibri – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,038 in 'ibri versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in 'ibri but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes 'ibri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and 'ibri 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 'ibri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.