Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and AL Kharj Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and AL Kharj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $951 in AL Kharj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,473 in AL Kharj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,996 in AL Kharj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 77% more than AL Kharj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while AL Kharj is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.68 SAR 17.59

71.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$26.80 SAR 101

78.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.91 SAR 29.71

25.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.07 SAR 11.53

1.95%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.84 SAR 3.15

127.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.13 SAR 0.48

1061.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.44 SAR 5.42

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.26 SAR 0.97

857.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-23.71%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.07 SAR 7.78

43.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.96 SAR 37.40

1.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.97 SAR 18.66

103.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.58 SAR 51.0

5.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.76 SAR 6.59

135.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.30 SAR 4.90

23.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.22 SAR 4.59

84.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.34 SAR 5.03

67.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.04 SAR 3.91

96.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.10 SAR 4.12

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.55 SAR 2.05

112.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.59 SAR 2.21

122.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.59 SAR 24.74

-40.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$22.75 SAR 85.4

253.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-51.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.55 SAR 2.05

298.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$13.40 SAR 50.3

-35.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.59 SAR 2.22

132.20%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.3K SAR 132.6K

-21.14%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

63.55%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$102 SAR 384

73.40%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$27.14 SAR 102

-48.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$51.5 SAR 193

-42.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$73.8 SAR 277

-39.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$40.56 SAR 152

-57.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$13.41 SAR 50.4

-50.41%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$283 SAR 1,064

187.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,710 SAR 13.9K

147.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$59.4 SAR 223

50.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$53.1 SAR 199

11.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$46.69 SAR 175

195.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$79.7 SAR 299

28.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$676 SAR 2,539

57.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$260 SAR 976

155.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$591 SAR 2,219

219.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$467 SAR 1,756

119.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,869 SAR 10.8K

-76.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.54

97.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for AL Kharj: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $676 in AL Kharj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 323% higher in AL Kharj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in AL Kharj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $173 – making AL Kharj 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 Kharj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $951 in AL Kharj – roughly 77% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,426 in AL Kharj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $283 in AL Kharj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in AL Kharj, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Medellin at $1,681. In AL Kharj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $951 in AL Kharj to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kharj. 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.