Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Majma'ah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Majma'ah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,221 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,927 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,633 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Medellin is about 18% cheaper than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Al Majma'ah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Al Majma'ah 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$7.92 SAR 29.75

-25.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$53.0 SAR 199

-37.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-4.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.05 SAR 15.22

-59.26%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.77 SAR 2.90

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.29 SAR 1.07

168.97%

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

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.66 SAR 2.48

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.27 SAR 8.53

-39.21%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.29 SAR 8.58

-4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.66 SAR 32.51

-48.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.62 SAR 24.88

-12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.58 SAR 43.50

-22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.21 SAR 8.30

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.50 SAR 5.63

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.69 SAR 2.58

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.97 SAR 3.63

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.52 SAR 1.97

73.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.80 SAR 10.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.46 SAR 28.00

-70.11%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-21.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$40.59 SAR 152

2.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.28 SAR 12.32

-56.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.90 SAR 7.13

2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$13.29 SAR 49.91

-40.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.64 SAR 2.39

54.69%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.1K SAR 131.9K

-49.89%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.7K SAR 89.1K

12.99%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$103 SAR 386

-19.21%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$34.75 SAR 130

-72.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$74.9 SAR 281

-68.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$86.4 SAR 325

-70.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$35.51 SAR 133

-46.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$15.93 SAR 59.8

-75.20%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$460 SAR 1,728

-31.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$9,463 SAR 35.5K

-36.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.3 SAR 223

1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$63.7 SAR 239

-50.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$108 SAR 406

-5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$97.6 SAR 367

10.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$439 SAR 1,649

8.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$374 SAR 1,404

0.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$867 SAR 3,255

-2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$614 SAR 2,307

17.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,503 SAR 9,398

30.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,378 SAR 5,174

4.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.31

152.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $439 in Al Majma'ah. 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 $53.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $184 in Al Majma'ah – so Al Majma'ah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Majma'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Majma'ah costs about 22% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,832 in Al Majma'ah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $460 in Al Majma'ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Al Majma'ah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Al Majma'ah at $1,221. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Majma'ah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,221 in Al Majma'ah. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Majma'ah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.