Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-birah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-birah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,121 in Al-birah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,935 in Al-birah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,749 in Al-birah, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Al-birah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Al-birah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al-birah 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$9.56 ₪27.21

-37.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$41.99 ₪120

-21.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.25 ₪32.03

-36.98%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.62 ₪10.31

-52.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.74 ₪2.11

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.61 ₪1.74

27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$5.47 ₪15.58

-69.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$5.60 ₪15.93

-45.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.93 ₪5.50

-43.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.54 ₪1.52

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.50 ₪7.13

-44.80%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.19 ₪6.24

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.03 ₪17.18

-27.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.43 ₪18.32

-12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$15.20 ₪43.28

-41.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.54 ₪7.23

-7.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.43 ₪4.06

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.39 ₪3.95

7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.98 ₪5.64

-30.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.10 ₪3.12

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.37 ₪3.91

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.44 ₪4.09

-38.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.85 ₪2.42

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$7.57 ₪21.54

-69.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.79 ₪7.95

-56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.42 ₪6.90

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.96 ₪2.74

-10.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$59.0 ₪168

-29.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.85 ₪8.12

-48.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.29 ₪3.66

51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$14.04 ₪39.97

-44.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.01 ₪5.72

-52.74%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$36.4K ₪103.5K

-50.14%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$44.7K ₪127.2K

-40.71%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$84.9 ₪242

-3.10%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.01 ₪54.1

-50.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$47.41 ₪135

-48.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$55.8 ₪159

-53.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$28.68 ₪81.7

-33.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.34 ₪23.75

-52.88%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$216 ₪614

43.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,780 ₪10.8K

57.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$41.86 ₪119

40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$38.54 ₪110

-16.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$56.4 ₪161

81.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$41.96 ₪119

158.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$352 ₪1,003

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$327 ₪932

15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$858 ₪2,442

-2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$945 ₪2,691

-23.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.62

138.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-birah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $352 in Al-birah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Al-birah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $217 – 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 Al-birah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,121 in Al-birah – roughly 11% apart. Al-birah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,681 in Al-birah. 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 15% more in Al-birah, 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 $42.00 in Al-birah. 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 $1,013, than in Al-birah at $1,121. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-birah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,121 in Al-birah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Al-birah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.