Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-jahra' Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-jahra'

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,421 in Al-jahra'.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,427 in Al-jahra'.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,433 in Al-jahra'.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 29% less than in Al-jahra', driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Al-jahra' is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$9.56 KWD 2.97

-38.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$82.1 KWD 25.48

-59.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$9.05 KWD 2.81

-17.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 KWD 1.17

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$5.84 KWD 1.81

-71.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.64 KWD 0.20

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.35 KWD 0.11

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.55 KWD 0.48

-29.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.30 KWD 0.40

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-19.77%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.01 KWD 0.62

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$5.14 KWD 1.59

-12.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$6.31 KWD 1.96

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.50 KWD 3.26

-14.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.42 KWD 0.75

-4.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-44.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.74 KWD 0.54

-12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.50 KWD 0.47

-9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.22 KWD 0.38

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.25 KWD 0.39

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.67 KWD 0.52

-46.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.49 KWD 0.15

83.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.03 KWD 0.94

-26.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.89 KWD 0.28

-4.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$44.79 KWD 13.90

-7.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$3.21 KWD 1.00

-55.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$3.29 KWD 1.02

-40.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$16.07 KWD 4.99

-50.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.36 KWD 0.11

175.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.6K KWD 6,699

-18.47%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$19.8K KWD 6,130

35.66%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$20.26 KWD 6.29

309.72%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$18.72 KWD 5.81

-48.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$26.17 KWD 8.12

-10.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$199 KWD 61.6

-87.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$46.59 KWD 14.46

-59.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$11.37 KWD 3.53

-65.26%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$399 KWD 124

-20.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,597 KWD 2,047

-9.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$42.96 KWD 13.33

39.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$43.11 KWD 13.38

-26.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$86.6 KWD 26.86

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$80.7 KWD 25.04

33.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$784 KWD 243

-39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$603 KWD 187

-37.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,589 KWD 493

-46.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,273 KWD 395

-43.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$2,915 KWD 904

-78.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.14

88.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al-jahra': July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $784 in Al-jahra'. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' pays 367% 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 $82.0 in Al-jahra'. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $179, with Al-jahra' cheaper for home cooking.

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-jahra': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 367% lower in Al-jahra'. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $784 in Al-jahra'. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $399 in Al-jahra'. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Al-jahra' pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,421 in Al-jahra', a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Al-jahra'. 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-jahra', and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Al-jahra'. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.