Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ahmadi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ahmadi: $1,226 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Ahmadi
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Ahmadi Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Ahmadi

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,226

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ahmadi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ahmadi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,226 in Ahmadi, rent included.

Medellin $1,589
Ahmadi $1,226

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $2,045 in Ahmadi, rent included.

Medellin $2,364
Ahmadi $2,045

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $2,864 in Ahmadi, rent included.

Medellin $3,139
Ahmadi $2,864

Medellin costs about 30% more than Ahmadi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ahmadi is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.5K

$8.20 KWD 2.54

-2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

$43.74 KWD 13.56

6.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

$7.60 KWD 2.36

24.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 KWD 0.50

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,277

$4.19 KWD 1.30

-30.55%

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

$1.75 COP 5,585

$0.55 KWD 0.17

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,218

$0.31 KWD 0.10

325.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 9,969

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,495

$1.26 KWD 0.39

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,777

$0.79 KWD 0.25

208.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,191

$1.58 KWD 0.49

3.16%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,990

$1.34 KWD 0.42

110.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

$3.18 KWD 0.99

204.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.7K

$4.77 KWD 1.48

95.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 42.9K

$10.21 KWD 3.17

31.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$1.49 KWD 0.46

168.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,719

$1.44 KWD 0.45

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,768

$1.12 KWD 0.35

89.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,178

$0.77 KWD 0.24

192.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,092

$0.47 KWD 0.15

306.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,160

$0.50 KWD 0.15

224.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-9.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,021

$0.58 KWD 0.18

117.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$2.82 KWD 0.88

35.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 41.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,083

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,188

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$0.98 KWD 0.30

19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 239.0K

$28.86 KWD 8.94

159.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

$3.22 KWD 1.00

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

$3.31 KWD 1.03

-38.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.1K

$16.24 KWD 5.03

-49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,046

$0.32 KWD 0.10

296.88%

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

$26.8K COP 85.3M

$21.2K KWD 6,557

26.56%

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

$34.4K COP 109.6M

$18.1K KWD 5,602

90.36%

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

$162 COP 516.9K

$66.4 KWD 20.58

144.26%

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

$13.12 COP 41.8K

$16.19 KWD 5.02

-18.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 89.5K

$29.97 KWD 9.29

-6.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 141.2K

$116 KWD 36.00

-61.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

$32.53 KWD 10.08

-49.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

$10.70 KWD 3.32

-43.08%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$96.5 KWD 29.90

692.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

$9,369 KWD 2,904

-4.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

$37.53 KWD 11.63

126.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 183.2K

$39.24 KWD 12.16

46.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 419.8K

$99.0 KWD 30.70

33.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 305.1K

$90.1 KWD 27.91

6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$640 KWD 198

60.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$536 KWD 166

12.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.7M

$1,623 KWD 503

11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$1,224 KWD 379

-18.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.5M

$3,087 KWD 957

26.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$2,520 KWD 781

-34.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$3,580 KWD 1,110

-82.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.67

134.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ahmadi: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Ahmadi

$536 43.4% 11.3% $68

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Ahmadi

$135 10.9% 53.2% $153

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Ahmadi

$113 9.1% 44.7% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Ahmadi

$120 9.7% 28.1% $47

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Ahmadi

$142 11.5% 14.5% $24

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Ahmadi

$53 4.3% 42.4% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Ahmadi

$138 11.1% 143% $81

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $640 in Ahmadi. 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 472% higher in Ahmadi, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Ahmadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $135 – making Ahmadi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇰🇼 Ahmadi

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

18:04 6:04 PM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

31,422

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

1 KWD = 3.23 USD

1 KWD = 2.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KWD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 0.31 KWD (1 KWD = 3.23 USD). 1 EUR = 0.347 KWD (1 KWD = 2.88 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Ahmadi 12,830 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Ahmadi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ahmadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,839 in Ahmadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $764 per month in Medellin and $96.5 in Ahmadi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ahmadi, where all-in costs run around $1,226, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Ahmadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ahmadi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ahmadi. 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.