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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $440 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $710 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $980 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 282% more than Al Kharijah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Al Kharijah is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.57 E£186

124.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$13.65 E£712

250.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.13 E£215

139.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.35 E£70.6

131.85%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.34 E£17.99

461.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.12 E£6.31

1158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.46 E£75.9

113.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.55 E£133

125.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.77 E£39.91

87.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.66 E£34.65

277.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$0.55 E£28.68

221.82%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.11 E£57.9

166.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$3.04 E£159

231.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.51 E£235

124.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.38 E£385

93.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.63 E£85.0

153.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.73 E£38.10

120.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.42 E£21.69

435.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.33 E£17.45

581.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.36 E£18.56

466.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.35 E£18.18

340.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.23 E£12.16

408.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.20 E£10.23

555.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.93 E£101

102.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.54 E£289

152.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.09 E£56.8

59.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.22 E£116

29.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.19 E£9.82

542.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.38 E£19.72

244.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.23 E£11.89

852.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.76 E£91.8

394.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.41 E£21.47

234.15%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$29.3K E£1.5M

-4.98%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$29.3K E£1.5M

21.92%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$15.74 E£821

1026.43%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$7.12 E£371

94.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$14.78 E£771

101.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$15.96 E£832

181.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$2.58 E£134

157.75%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$86.0 E£4,485

845.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,743 E£90.9K

427.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$19.65 E£1,025

355.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$46.83 E£2,442

25.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$131 E£6,827

5.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$44.89 E£2,341

127.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$113 E£5,884

841.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$72.1 E£3,760

819.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$290 E£15.1K

552.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$152 E£7,917

576.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$770 E£40.2K

443.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$372 E£19.4K

349.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

16.21

-32.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Kharijah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $113 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Al Kharijah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $117 – 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 282%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $660 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $440 in Al Kharijah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $86.0 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 $440, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.