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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,236 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,904 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,571 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 24% lower, Al Majma'ah 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.90 SAR 29.65

-24.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$53.9 SAR 202

-38.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.18 SAR 30.69

-11.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,686

$4.10 SAR 15.38

-60.24%

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

$1.09 COP 3,820

$0.73 SAR 2.74

49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.31 SAR 1.17

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,064

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,661

$1.44 SAR 5.41

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,514

$0.66 SAR 2.49

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,616

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-42.36%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,926

$2.26 SAR 8.49

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.22 SAR 30.83

-47.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.36 SAR 23.86

-7.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.92 SAR 44.72

-27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,842

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,732

$1.67 SAR 6.27

-35.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,321

$1.49 SAR 5.60

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,963

$1.54 SAR 5.79

-7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,083

$0.64 SAR 2.40

82.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,076

$0.90 SAR 3.37

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,095

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-39.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,145

$0.56 SAR 2.09

60.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SAR 9.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,835

$7.50 SAR 28.16

-70.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,299

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,915

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$40.18 SAR 151

4.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,911

$3.29 SAR 12.34

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,633

$1.85 SAR 6.93

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.21 SAR 49.56

-41.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,508

$0.59 SAR 2.22

71.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.3M

$35.3K SAR 132.3K

-50.14%

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

$26.5K COP 92.4M

$23.7K SAR 88.8K

11.98%

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

$83.7 COP 292.0K

$104 SAR 389

-19.36%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$35.28 SAR 132

-73.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$74.6 SAR 280

-67.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$88.7 SAR 333

-71.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$36.04 SAR 135

-46.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$16.28 SAR 61.1

-74.82%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$456 SAR 1,711

-31.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$9,643 SAR 36.2K

-37.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.5K

$59.2 SAR 222

-1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$63.4 SAR 238

-48.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.6K

$106 SAR 399

-6.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.7K

$99.8 SAR 374

8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$433 SAR 1,624

11.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$374 SAR 1,402

1.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$856 SAR 3,212

-2.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$631 SAR 2,369

14.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,384 SAR 8,945

19.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,322 SAR 4,959

-7.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $433 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 $54.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $183 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,854 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 $312 per month in Medellin and $456 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 4% 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 $1,017, than in Al Majma'ah at $1,236. 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 $1,017 versus $1,236 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.