Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-`awabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-`awabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $957 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,420 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,884 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Al-`awabi is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$5.16 OMR 1.98

55.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$34.34 OMR 13.22

40.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.00 OMR 3.08

22.12%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$4.84 OMR 1.86

-39.88%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.84 OMR 0.32

130.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.27 OMR 0.10

462.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$13.16 OMR 5.07

-76.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$12.90 OMR 4.97

-55.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-40.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.25 OMR 0.48

91.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.82 OMR 0.70

-6.59%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.98 OMR 1.15

-3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$7.79 OMR 3.00

27.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.91 OMR 2.66

56.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.67 OMR 4.11

38.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.55 OMR 1.37

15.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-21.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.37 OMR 0.91

-10.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.21 OMR 0.46

82.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.16 OMR 0.45

76.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.24 OMR 0.48

20.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-33.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.63 OMR 0.24

84.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.63 OMR 2.55

-41.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$15.56 OMR 5.99

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$5.64 OMR 2.17

-71.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-68.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-59.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.67 OMR 1.03

-21.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$7.75 OMR 2.98

11.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.64 OMR 0.25

103.13%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$25.8K OMR 9,926

7.28%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$22.8K OMR 8,766

55.95%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$169 OMR 65.0

4.26%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$31.28 OMR 12.04

-57.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$71.1 OMR 27.37

-57.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$10.52 OMR 4.05

-41.06%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$288 OMR 111

175.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$10.5K OMR 4,033

-13.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$57.0 OMR 21.94

50.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$43.75 OMR 16.85

33.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$91.3 OMR 35.14

49.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$94.5 OMR 36.38

9.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Al-`awabi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $288 – making Al-`awabi 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 Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,435 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $957 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $288 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 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.