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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,763 in Al Hidd.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,190 in Al Hidd.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,616 in Al Hidd.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 41% less than in Al Hidd, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Al Hidd is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.57 BHD 2.47

-9.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$39.43 BHD 14.83

-16.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.41 BHD 2.78

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.68 BHD 1.01

-36.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.81 BHD 0.31

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.14 BHD 0.05

414.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.88 BHD 2.96

-78.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$10.55 BHD 3.97

-70.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.72 BHD 0.65

-38.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.28 BHD 0.48

-2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-39.83%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.42 BHD 0.91

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.54 BHD 3.21

-49.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.57 BHD 2.85

-22.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.37 BHD 3.90

-14.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.45 BHD 0.92

-8.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.05 BHD 0.77

-47.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.77 BHD 0.66

-13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.21 BHD 0.45

13.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.90 BHD 0.34

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.07 BHD 0.40

4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.46 BHD 0.55

-41.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.94 BHD 0.35

-3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.46 BHD 2.43

-63.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.73 BHD 7.04

-40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.35 BHD 1.26

-64.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.18 BHD 1.19

-25.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.58 BHD 0.59

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$52.9 BHD 19.89

-22.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.62 BHD 1.74

-68.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$4.01 BHD 1.51

-52.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$26.01 BHD 9.78

-69.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.38 BHD 0.14

147.37%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.1K BHD 7,565

-10.92%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.8K BHD 7,825

28.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$122 BHD 45.81

-31.09%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$26.79 BHD 10.07

-64.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$38.28 BHD 14.39

-36.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$53.5 BHD 20.13

-64.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.79 BHD 4.06

-63.67%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$386 BHD 145

-20.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$9,104 BHD 3,423

-34.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$46.87 BHD 17.62

23.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$62.4 BHD 23.46

-49.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$82.1 BHD 30.88

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$88.0 BHD 33.07

21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$672 BHD 253

-27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$933 BHD 351

-60.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$795 BHD 299

3.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$810 BHD 304

-11.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,937 BHD 728

-71.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.56

56.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al Hidd: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $672 in Al Hidd. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 255% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Al Hidd for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $264 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Hidd: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al Hidd earns 255% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $672 in Al Hidd. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 29% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $386 in Al Hidd. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,763 in Al Hidd, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Al Hidd 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.