Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-`awabi

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-`awabi: $953 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Al-`awabi
🇴🇲 Oman
$953
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Al-`awabi

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 Al-`awabi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $953 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Al-`awabi $953

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Al-`awabi $1,431

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,909 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Al-`awabi $1,909

Medellin costs about 69% more than Al-`awabi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Al-`awabi is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$5.06 OMR 1.95
56.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$38.93 OMR 14.99
18.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$7.61 OMR 2.93
24.84%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$5.06 OMR 1.95
-38.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$0.89 OMR 0.34
105.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$0.27 OMR 0.10
411.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$12.94 OMR 4.98
-76.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$13.19 OMR 5.08
-58.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$2.27 OMR 0.87
-36.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$1.23 OMR 0.47
91.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$1.88 OMR 0.72
-10.64%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$2.96 OMR 1.14
-3.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$7.29 OMR 2.81
39.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$7.17 OMR 2.76
32.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$10.59 OMR 4.08
32.58%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$3.56 OMR 1.37
14.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.92 OMR 0.74
-21.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$2.33 OMR 0.90
-6.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$1.28 OMR 0.49
80.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$1.22 OMR 0.47
58.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$1.25 OMR 0.48
31.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$1.87 OMR 0.72
-39.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$0.66 OMR 0.25
89.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$6.41 OMR 2.47
-37.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$15.72 OMR 6.05
-15.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$6.06 OMR 2.33
-71.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$10.33 OMR 3.98
-77.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$3.29 OMR 1.27
-59.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$2.55 OMR 0.98
-16.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$7.72 OMR 2.97
9.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$0.65 OMR 0.25
100.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$25.4K OMR 9,791
10.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$23.0K OMR 8,858
53.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$177 OMR 68.2
-2.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$31.35 OMR 12.07
-57.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$71.0 OMR 27.33
-59.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$10.34 OMR 3.98
-39.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$286 OMR 110
169.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$10.5K OMR 4,032
-13.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$55.6 OMR 21.42
55.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$43.72 OMR 16.83
30.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$90.5 OMR 34.83
50.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$86.8 OMR 33.41
12.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Al-`awabi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
-
-
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: October 12, 2026

Last update for Al-`awabi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Al-`awabi
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Al-`awabi
$293 0.6% $1.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Al-`awabi
$279 30.5% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Al-`awabi
$124 26.8% $46
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Al-`awabi
$220 30.5% $51
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Al-`awabi
$16 * 82.8% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Al-`awabi
$21 * 64.2% $37

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $293 – making Al-`awabi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇴🇲 Al-`awabi
🕒 Local time
02:39 2:39 AM
11:39 11:39 AM
9 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
10,711
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Al-`awabi 13,960 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Al-`awabi

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 Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-`awabi cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,430 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Al-`awabi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $953 in Al-`awabi. That's a gap of about 69%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $770 per month in Medellin and $286 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Al-`awabi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $953, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Al-`awabi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Al-`awabi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Al-`awabi. 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.

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