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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,232 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,961 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,690 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Al Majma'ah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$7.89 SAR 29.64

1.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$64.7 SAR 243

-26.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.89 SAR 33.39

11.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 SAR 11.30

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.41 SAR 16.55

-29.02%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.95 SAR 3.58

101.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.31 SAR 1.18

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.33 SAR 4.98

87.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-25.63%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.24 SAR 12.18

-8.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.63 SAR 36.16

4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$9.56 SAR 35.91

5.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$15.60 SAR 58.6

-8.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.72 SAR 10.22

52.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.38 SAR 8.96

-5.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.75 SAR 6.56

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.19 SAR 4.46

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.35 SAR 5.07

14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.56 SAR 2.10

133.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.75 SAR 10.34

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SAR 9.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$7.43 SAR 27.91

-47.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.05 SAR 3.93

16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$35.52 SAR 133

126.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$3.15 SAR 11.84

-58.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.82 SAR 6.84

20.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-35.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.64 SAR 2.40

114.06%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$35.9K SAR 135.0K

-22.55%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

57.35%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$94.3 SAR 354

88.04%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$32.85 SAR 123

-57.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$69.0 SAR 259

-56.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$83.9 SAR 315

-46.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$37.05 SAR 139

-53.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$13.26 SAR 49.82

-49.85%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$540 SAR 2,028

50.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$11.1K SAR 41.6K

-16.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$59.2 SAR 222

51.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$57.2 SAR 215

3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$106 SAR 398

30.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$108 SAR 407

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$581 SAR 2,182

82.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$351 SAR 1,317

89.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$877 SAR 3,294

115.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$540 SAR 2,027

90.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,320 SAR 8,716

80.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,378 SAR 5,176

21.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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 Majma'ah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $581 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $65.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $239 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

Medellin costs about 36% more than Al Majma'ah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,848 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 Al Majma'ah, 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 $540 in Al Majma'ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Majma'ah, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Al Majma'ah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Majma'ah costs $1,232 versus $1,681 in Medellin. 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 Al Majma'ah. 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.