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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,323 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,104 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,885 in Al Khobar.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 24% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Al Khobar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.47 SAR 24.31

-8.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$53.2 SAR 200

-37.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-4.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.38 SAR 16.45

-62.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.02 SAR 3.84

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.51 SAR 1.92

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-9.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-42.50%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-22.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.64 SAR 24.92

-32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$8.95 SAR 33.60

-35.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.73 SAR 47.82

-29.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-8.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.57 SAR 5.90

-13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-29.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.58 SAR 2.19

55.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.62 SAR 24.86

-66.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.96 SAR 3.60

-11.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$61.6 SAR 231

-32.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-36.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.31 SAR 4.93

48.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.79 SAR 25.48

16.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.65 SAR 2.43

52.31%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

-17.15%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

16.73%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$122 SAR 458

-31.86%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$34.21 SAR 128

-71.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$81.4 SAR 306

-71.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$106 SAR 400

-76.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$36.66 SAR 138

-47.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$17.12 SAR 64.3

-76.93%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$301 SAR 1,129

5.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

-21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$63.6 SAR 239

-5.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$69.1 SAR 259

-53.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$100.0 SAR 375

1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.0 SAR 293

37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$430 SAR 1,615

10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$394 SAR 1,479

-5.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,049 SAR 3,938

-19.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$800 SAR 3,004

-10.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,385 SAR 8,955

36.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,459 SAR 5,479

-1.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,822 SAR 6,843

-65.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.84

249.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $430 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 192% 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 $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $216 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 192% lower in Al Khobar. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $430 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 48% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $301 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,323 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Al Khobar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.