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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,102 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,725 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,348 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Al Hufuf, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Al Hufuf is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.81 SAR 25.57

15.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$54.2 SAR 203

-17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.34 SAR 27.54

26.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.90 SAR 14.66

-25.64%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.66 SAR 2.48

174.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.28 SAR 1.04

453.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.84 SAR 3.14

191.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.56 SAR 9.63

-41.02%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.15 SAR 8.08

29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.76 SAR 25.37

33.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$7.91 SAR 29.71

34.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-3.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.58 SAR 5.94

151.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-19.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.33 SAR 4.97

72.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.09 SAR 4.09

85.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.06 SAR 3.98

97.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.78 SAR 2.94

108.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.35 SAR 5.09

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.59 SAR 2.20

111.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$6.78 SAR 25.44

-40.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.04 SAR 3.91

13.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$36.00 SAR 135

122.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-50.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.86 SAR 6.97

14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$13.30 SAR 49.95

-35.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.60 SAR 2.26

125.00%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$36.0K SAR 135.2K

-21.34%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

58.81%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$96.1 SAR 361

57.57%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$31.17 SAR 117

-57.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$69.7 SAR 262

-53.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$107 SAR 402

-56.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$37.71 SAR 142

-54.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-52.34%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$543 SAR 2,037

53.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

-20.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$17.32 SAR 65.0

415.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$18.93 SAR 71.1

192.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$42.42 SAR 159

221.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$32.31 SAR 121

238.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$587 SAR 2,204

62.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$344 SAR 1,293

93.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$872 SAR 3,273

131.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$543 SAR 2,039

111.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,399 SAR 9,008

54.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,386 SAR 5,203

14.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,986 SAR 7,458

-68.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.54

88.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $587 in Al Hufuf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 218% higher in Al Hufuf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Al Hufuf. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $195 in Al Hufuf – so Al Hufuf 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 Hufuf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,652 in Al Hufuf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hufuf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $54.0 in Al Hufuf. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $1,102 in Al Hufuf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hufuf, where all-in costs run around $1,102, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Al Hufuf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hufuf – 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 Hufuf. 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.