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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $453 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $733 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,013 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 125% more than Al Kharijah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Al Kharijah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al Kharijah 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.54 E£181

68.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$15.87 E£811

110.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.54 E£232

59.25%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.48 E£75.8

10.14%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.29 E£14.76

275.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.10 E£5.23

630.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.17 E£59.9

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.04 E£155

6.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.89 E£45.56

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.61 E£31.28

111.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.70 E£35.95

88.57%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.43 E£73.2

58.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.43 E£175

26.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.18 E£214

40.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.63 E£441

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.42 E£72.5

58.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.54 E£27.44

98.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.43 E£21.97

253.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.37 E£18.86

283.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.38 E£19.16

207.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.44 E£22.47

165.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.24 E£12.29

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.19 E£9.58

373.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.98 E£101

13.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.14 E£365

54.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.35 E£68.8

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.81 E£92.2

31.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.18 E£9.09

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.42 E£21.21

235.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.29 E£14.68

555.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.93 E£98.6

301.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.30 E£15.53

236.67%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.7K E£1.8M

-50.79%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.7K E£1.7M

-21.44%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$11.63 E£594

619.52%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$6.51 E£332

45.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$10.70 E£546

125.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.10 E£1,129

14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.99 E£152

37.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$90.2 E£4,608

245.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,888 E£96.4K

217.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$27.51 E£1,405

110.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$47.64 E£2,433

-31.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$109 E£5,555

-8.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$49.85 E£2,546

117.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$191 E£9,769

152.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$98.4 E£5,025

285.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$308 E£15.7K

171.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$175 E£8,951

312.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$813 E£41.5K

249.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$424 E£21.6K

188.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.67

-19.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al Kharijah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $191 in Al Kharijah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Al Kharijah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $124 – making Al Kharijah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kharijah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 125%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $679 in Al Kharijah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $453 in Al Kharijah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $90.2 in Al Kharijah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Kharijah, where all-in costs run around $453, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Al Kharijah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Kharijah – 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 Kharijah. 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.