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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,408 in Al-jahra'.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,406 in Al-jahra'.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,404 in Al-jahra'.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 28% less than in Al-jahra', driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Al-jahra' is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.06 KWD 3.09

-40.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$80.4 KWD 24.70

-58.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.79 KWD 2.70

-17.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$6.05 KWD 1.86

-73.06%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.66 KWD 0.20

65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.35 KWD 0.11

108.57%

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

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.31 KWD 0.40

-1.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-26.26%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.03 KWD 0.62

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.08 KWD 1.56

-14.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.59 KWD 2.02

-10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.32 KWD 3.17

-16.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.36 KWD 0.72

-4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.81 KWD 0.56

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.50 KWD 0.46

-5.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.31 KWD 0.40

-10.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-46.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 KWD 0.14

95.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.89 KWD 0.89

-22.15%

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

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$44.87 KWD 13.78

-6.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.34 KWD 1.03

-57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-42.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$16.42 KWD 5.05

-52.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.37 KWD 0.11

172.97%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.3K KWD 6,532

-17.32%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.0K KWD 6,140

32.55%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$20.05 KWD 6.16

317.36%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.88 KWD 5.80

-49.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$25.64 KWD 7.88

-5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$193 KWD 59.2

-86.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$47.22 KWD 14.51

-59.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$11.56 KWD 3.55

-64.53%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$408 KWD 125

-23.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,706 KWD 2,060

-10.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$41.91 KWD 12.87

38.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.00 KWD 12.90

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$87.2 KWD 26.79

14.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$81.1 KWD 24.92

33.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$801 KWD 246

-39.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$602 KWD 185

-37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,557 KWD 478

-46.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,300 KWD 399

-44.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,952 KWD 907

-81.68%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al-jahra': June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $801 in Al-jahra'. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-jahra' pays 446% 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 $80.0 in Al-jahra'. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $180, 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al-jahra' earns 446% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $801 in Al-jahra'. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $408 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 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,408 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 39% less than in Al-jahra'. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.