Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Ghubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Ghubra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $345 in Al Ghubra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $465 in Al Ghubra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $585 in Al Ghubra.

Living in Medellin is roughly 193% more expensive than Al Ghubra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Al Ghubra 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.27 OMR 0.10

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-41.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.12 OMR 0.82

-34.91%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$5.18 OMR 1.99

-57.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.12 OMR 0.82

10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-43.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-18.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.31 OMR 0.51

5.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.68 OMR 0.26

69.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.68 OMR 0.26

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.50 OMR 0.19

68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$113 OMR 43.36

-26.97%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$84.3 OMR 32.46

-71.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$43.59 OMR 16.78

-40.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$36.90 OMR 14.21

-48.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.02 OMR 3.47

-56.43%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$185 OMR 71.1

67.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$10.6K OMR 4,066

-43.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,669 OMR 1,028

-80.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 422% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Al Ghubra differ by about 193% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $345 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Al Ghubra earns 422% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $185 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $345 in Al Ghubra – a 193% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $345 in Al Ghubra versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Al Ghubra are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 193% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.