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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,132 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,887 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,643 in Abha, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Abha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Abha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Abha 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.42 SAR 20.37

13.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$53.8 SAR 202

-39.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.56 SAR 28.39

-2.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.16 SAR 11.88

-45.57%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.58 SAR 2.19

81.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.23 SAR 0.86

234.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.51 SAR 1.93

154.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.97 SAR 7.38

-28.93%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.85 SAR 10.69

-24.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.84 SAR 21.95

-24.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.57 SAR 32.19

-31.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$16.77 SAR 63.0

-48.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.89 SAR 7.10

20.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-30.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.46 SAR 5.49

4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.22 SAR 4.57

-7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.90 SAR 3.36

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.58 SAR 2.19

56.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.27 SAR 16.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.61 SAR 36.07

-75.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.84 SAR 3.17

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.42 SAR 148

2.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.60 SAR 9.76

-45.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.73 SAR 10.27

-29.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.10 SAR 49.18

-41.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.59 SAR 2.22

67.80%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.7K SAR 92.8K

-27.01%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.6K SAR 85.0K

17.59%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$81.3 SAR 305

-0.61%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$36.96 SAR 139

-73.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$54.7 SAR 205

-55.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$122 SAR 456

-79.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$27.45 SAR 103

-30.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$17.86 SAR 67.0

-77.72%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$241 SAR 906

26.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,294 SAR 19.9K

14.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$38.27 SAR 144

51.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$65.9 SAR 247

-51.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$178 SAR 667

-43.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$88.1 SAR 331

22.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$361 SAR 1,355

32.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$264 SAR 990

42.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$557 SAR 2,091

51.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$622 SAR 2,334

17.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,364 SAR 8,876

36.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,328 SAR 4,986

3.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,190 SAR 8,222

-71.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.67

136.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Abha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $361 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 255% higher in Abha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Abha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $205 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Abha costs about 10% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,698 in Abha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% more in Abha, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $54.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Abha at $1,132. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Abha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,132 in Abha. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Abha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.