Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,050 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,749 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,448 in Abha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than Abha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Abha is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$5.23 SAR 19.65

53.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$50.0 SAR 188

-3.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.26 SAR 27.25

34.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.11 SAR 11.67

-6.43%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.62 SAR 2.35

212.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.24 SAR 0.90

533.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-16.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.60 SAR 2.25

298.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-12.82%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$3.07 SAR 11.53

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$4.45 SAR 16.70

123.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$7.49 SAR 28.12

43.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$18.41 SAR 69.1

-19.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.99 SAR 7.49

105.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-21.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.61 SAR 6.05

32.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.63 SAR 6.13

35.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$2.19 SAR 8.20

-6.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.27 SAR 4.75

18.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.36 SAR 1.37

230.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.51 SAR 1.90

127.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.48 SAR 16.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 SAR 4.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$9.47 SAR 35.56

-58.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.79 SAR 2.98

48.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$35.84 SAR 135

116.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-54.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.64 SAR 9.90

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-36.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.60 SAR 2.24

116.67%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$46.1K SAR 173.1K

-40.01%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

81.32%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$86.7 SAR 326

103.06%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$36.59 SAR 137

-63.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$76.9 SAR 289

-61.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$89.5 SAR 336

-50.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$44.06 SAR 165

-61.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$15.63 SAR 58.7

-60.33%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$207 SAR 779

282.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$4,118 SAR 15.5K

119.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$30.92 SAR 116

176.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$72.0 SAR 270

-18.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$95.1 SAR 357

43.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$67.3 SAR 253

53.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$307 SAR 1,153

244.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$249 SAR 933

173.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$538 SAR 2,021

273.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$566 SAR 2,123

106.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$913 SAR 3,427

350.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,346 SAR 5,055

26.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$2,217 SAR 8,325

-70.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Abha: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $307 in Abha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 233% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $202 in Abha – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Abha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 63% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,576 in Abha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,050 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.