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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $768 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,159 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,549 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Al-`awabi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.32 OMR 2.05

15.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.36 OMR 10.14

23.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.01 OMR 2.31

22.13%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.46 OMR 1.72

-61.43%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.80 OMR 0.31

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.25 OMR 0.10

208.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$10.38 OMR 4.00

-83.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$10.57 OMR 4.07

-70.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-46.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.22 OMR 0.47

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.64 OMR 0.63

-14.63%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.75 OMR 1.44

17.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.88 OMR 1.88

20.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.28 OMR 3.19

4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.52 OMR 0.97

-9.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-35.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.78 OMR 0.69

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.17 OMR 0.45

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.00 OMR 0.38

13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.97 OMR 0.38

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 OMR 0.20

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.19 OMR 2.38

-62.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$15.63 OMR 6.01

-20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$4.24 OMR 1.63

-71.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-68.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.06 OMR 1.18

-53.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.80 OMR 0.31

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.53 OMR 4.05

-27.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.60 OMR 0.23

65.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.9K OMR 8,830

-21.43%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.3K OMR 8,195

25.03%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$108 OMR 41.44

-24.96%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$40.67 OMR 15.65

-75.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$69.8 OMR 26.85

-65.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$10.49 OMR 4.04

-62.06%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$196 OMR 75.3

55.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.1K OMR 3,868

-39.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$51.1 OMR 19.65

13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$40.03 OMR 15.40

-19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$79.9 OMR 30.74

26.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$89.4 OMR 34.40

20.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.15

160.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Al-`awabi. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $229 in Al-`awabi – so Medellin 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 Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,152 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $768 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $196 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 $768, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.