Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Hufuf

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Hufuf: $1,133 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Al Hufuf
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,133
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Al Hufuf

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Al Hufuf actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Al Hufuf $1,133

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,708 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Al Hufuf $1,708

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $2,283 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Al Hufuf $2,283

Medellin costs about 42% more than Al Hufuf, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Al Hufuf is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$6.65 SAR 24.97
19.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$53.9 SAR 202
-14.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$7.00 SAR 26.25
35.71%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.11 SAR 7.92
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.65 SAR 6.17
-
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$3.92 SAR 14.71
-20.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$0.64 SAR 2.42
185.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$0.23 SAR 0.86
500.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.77 SAR 6.64
-18.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$0.83 SAR 3.10
184.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$2.37 SAR 8.89
-29.11%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$1.95 SAR 7.31
46.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$6.69 SAR 25.09
52.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$6.30 SAR 23.65
51.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$15.25 SAR 57.2
-7.93%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$1.64 SAR 6.14
148.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.78 SAR 6.67
-15.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$1.37 SAR 5.14
58.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$1.04 SAR 3.91
122.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$1.05 SAR 3.95
83.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$0.79 SAR 2.95
107.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$1.35 SAR 5.05
-16.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$0.59 SAR 2.20
111.86%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.98 SAR 11.19
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.76 SAR 6.62
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.37 SAR 8.91
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$6.86 SAR 25.73
-41.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$1.04 SAR 3.91
16.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$36.12 SAR 136
111.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$3.15 SAR 11.81
-58.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$1.88 SAR 7.07
13.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$13.42 SAR 50.4
-36.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$0.59 SAR 2.22
120.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$34.7K SAR 130.3K
-19.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$22.4K SAR 84.2K
57.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$109 SAR 408
58.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$29.33 SAR 110
-54.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$71.5 SAR 268
-59.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$110 SAR 411
-58.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$13.23 SAR 49.63
-52.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$526 SAR 1,973
46.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$10.1K SAR 37.9K
-10.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$17.05 SAR 64.0
406.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$18.58 SAR 69.7
207.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$43.32 SAR 163
215.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$31.92 SAR 120
206.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$583 SAR 2,187
81.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$373 SAR 1,400
65.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$835 SAR 3,133
126.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$572 SAR 2,147
78.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$2,347 SAR 8,806
72.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$1,354 SAR 5,081
23.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Al Hufuf
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$2,347 SAR 8,808
-72.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.54
97.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Al Hufuf
$373 39.4% $243
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Al Hufuf
$187 36.5% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Al Hufuf
$209 2.2% $4.7
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Al Hufuf
$50 70.7% $120
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Al Hufuf
$125 25.9% $44
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Al Hufuf
$53 43.4% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Al Hufuf
$136 135% $78

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $583 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 260% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Al Hufuf. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Medellin vs $187 in Al Hufuf – so Al Hufuf wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇸🇦 Al Hufuf
🕒 Local time
05:48 5:48 AM
13:48 1:48 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
660,788
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Al Hufuf 13,130 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Al Hufuf

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Al Hufuf cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,700 in Al Hufuf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Al Hufuf?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 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.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Al Hufuf?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $1,133 in Al Hufuf. That's a gap of about 42%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Al Hufuf?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hufuf, where all-in costs run around $1,133, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Al Hufuf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Al Hufuf more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Al Hufuf?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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