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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $470 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $737 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,004 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 113% more than Al Kharijah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Al Kharijah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Al Kharijah 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.49 E£176

69.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$15.95 E£802

106.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.77 E£240

55.77%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.51 E£75.9

9.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.29 E£14.54

279.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.12 E£6.16

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.18 E£59.2

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.01 E£151

5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.84 E£42.45

30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.57 E£28.84

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.71 E£35.78

94.37%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.39 E£70.2

56.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.39 E£170

32.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.17 E£210

38.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.80 E£443

1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.48 E£74.3

56.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.57 E£28.77

85.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.42 E£21.23

261.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.37 E£18.42

267.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.37 E£18.72

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.40 E£20.20

192.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.24 E£12.12

275.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.19 E£9.61

373.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.95 E£97.9

14.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.23 E£313

94.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.30 E£65.3

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.82 E£91.3

36.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.18 E£9.02

372.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.38 E£19.30

273.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.29 E£14.59

572.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.96 E£98.7

302.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.33 E£16.80

200.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.6K E£1.8M

-50.62%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.4K E£1.7M

-19.88%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$12.08 E£608

587.17%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$6.47 E£325

49.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$10.71 E£539

119.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.51 E£1,132

12.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.04 E£153

29.93%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$88.0 E£4,424

259.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,854 E£93.3K

222.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$27.42 E£1,379

118.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$48.38 E£2,433

-34.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$109 E£5,459

-6.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$49.57 E£2,493

116.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$190 E£9,544

150.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$98.1 E£4,934

281.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$308 E£15.5K

175.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$178 E£8,958

303.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$692 E£34.8K

372.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$483 E£24.3K

198.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Kharijah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $190 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: $193 vs $122 – 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 113%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $705 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $470 in Al Kharijah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $88.0 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 $470, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.