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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $355 in Al Ghubra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $473 in Al Ghubra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $591 in Al Ghubra.

Living in Medellin is roughly 191% more expensive than in Al Ghubra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Al Ghubra 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 19.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 104.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.6K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,527

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

$1.05 COP 3,376

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,482

$0.25 OMR 0.10

208.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,417

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,379

$1.84 OMR 0.71

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,181

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,485

$2.13 OMR 0.82

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 6,956

$5.10 OMR 1.96

-57.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 18.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,330

$2.11 OMR 0.81

8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,557

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-40.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,918

$1.83 OMR 0.71

-16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,353

$1.27 OMR 0.49

6.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,627

$0.62 OMR 0.24

82.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,644

$0.68 OMR 0.26

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,717

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,937

$0.54 OMR 0.21

68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,531

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 39.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,859

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,000

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,692

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,563

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,155

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,181

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

$18.0K COP 57.9M

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

$26.6K COP 85.6M

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

$80.8 COP 259.7K

$113 OMR 43.34

-28.24%

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

$9.95 COP 32.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 77.7K

$85.8 OMR 33.01

-71.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 80.6K

$43.51 OMR 16.75

-42.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 61.5K

$37.04 OMR 14.26

-48.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 12.8K

$8.88 OMR 3.42

-55.18%

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

$305 COP 980.7K

$182 OMR 69.9

68.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.5M

$10.5K OMR 4,038

-42.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 186.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 103.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 346.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

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 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,096 OMR 1,191

-80.07%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 402% 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 191% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $355 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 402% lower in Al Ghubra. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $182 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $355 in Al Ghubra – a 191% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $355 in Al Ghubra versus $1,031 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 191% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.