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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,240 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,880 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,519 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Al Mubarraz is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$7.62 SAR 28.62

5.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$36.77 SAR 138

30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.03 SAR 30.15

23.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$4.34 SAR 16.29

-27.88%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.68 SAR 2.56

180.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.28 SAR 1.06

439.29%

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

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.31 SAR 4.91

90.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-24.36%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.20 SAR 12.01

-7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.73 SAR 36.56

3.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$9.65 SAR 36.25

4.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$15.49 SAR 58.2

-7.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.75 SAR 10.32

50.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$2.27 SAR 8.51

-0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.74 SAR 6.53

29.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.19 SAR 4.47

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.37 SAR 5.15

12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.66 SAR 6.22

-29.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.60 SAR 2.24

118.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$7.48 SAR 28.09

-47.86%

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 3.94

16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$36.55 SAR 137

120.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$3.28 SAR 12.30

-60.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.88 SAR 7.05

16.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$13.26 SAR 49.82

-34.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.61 SAR 2.28

124.59%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.3K SAR 136.5K

-23.42%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

58.40%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$96.1 SAR 361

84.57%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$32.18 SAR 121

-56.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$70.1 SAR 263

-57.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$85.7 SAR 322

-47.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$36.68 SAR 138

-53.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-50.81%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$551 SAR 2,070

47.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$11.2K SAR 42.2K

-18.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$58.1 SAR 218

54.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$57.2 SAR 215

3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$110 SAR 413

25.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$108 SAR 404

-5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$574 SAR 2,157

84.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$347 SAR 1,302

91.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$886 SAR 3,330

113.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$550 SAR 2,066

86.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,371 SAR 8,904

76.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,396 SAR 5,243

19.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$1,063 SAR 3,992

-36.23%

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 Mubarraz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $574 in Al Mubarraz. 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 57% higher in Al Mubarraz, 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 $37.00 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $240 – making Al Mubarraz 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 Mubarraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,240 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 36% 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 $1,860 in Al Mubarraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Mubarraz, 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 $551 in Al Mubarraz. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Mubarraz, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Al Mubarraz 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 $1,240 in Al Mubarraz 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 Mubarraz. 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.