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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,049 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,596 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,143 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Al Hufuf, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Al Hufuf are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al Hufuf 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.61 SAR 24.81

-9.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$49.42 SAR 185

-32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.79 SAR 29.23

-7.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.09 SAR 15.35

-60.15%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.64 SAR 2.42

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.20 SAR 0.75

265.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.65 SAR 6.17

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.03 SAR 3.86

25.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.39 SAR 8.95

-44.77%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.03 SAR 7.60

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.79 SAR 21.71

-24.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.46 SAR 24.22

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-36.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.74 SAR 6.53

29.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.32 SAR 4.94

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.17 SAR 4.39

21.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.97 SAR 3.63

20.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.00 SAR 3.77

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-31.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 SAR 2.13

57.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.00 SAR 11.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.22 SAR 23.32

-63.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-22.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$40.35 SAR 151

3.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.70 SAR 10.12

-47.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.88 SAR 7.07

1.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.44 SAR 50.4

-42.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.59 SAR 2.21

71.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.3K SAR 128.6K

-48.69%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

14.76%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$81.3 SAR 305

2.97%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$32.03 SAR 120

-70.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$75.4 SAR 283

-68.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$145 SAR 543

-82.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$33.92 SAR 127

-43.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.10 SAR 49.16

-68.70%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$295 SAR 1,106

5.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,187 SAR 15.7K

43.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$12.75 SAR 47.83

355.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$15.78 SAR 59.2

106.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$41.71 SAR 157

138.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$33.72 SAR 127

221.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$363 SAR 1,362

32.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$270 SAR 1,014

40.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$728 SAR 2,730

15.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$407 SAR 1,526

77.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,394 SAR 8,985

18.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,338 SAR 5,020

-8.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,977 SAR 7,420

-72.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.5

437.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $363 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 266% higher in Al Hufuf, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Al Hufuf. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $181 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 – Al Hufuf is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,573 in Al Hufuf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $49.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,049 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Al Hufuf at $1,049. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Hufuf it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Hufuf makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.