Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Mubarraz

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Mubarraz: $1,251 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Al Mubarraz, Saudi Arabia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Al Mubarraz
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,251
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Al Mubarraz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Al Mubarraz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,251 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Al Mubarraz $1,251

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $1,894 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Al Mubarraz $1,894

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $2,538 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Al Mubarraz $2,538

Medellin costs about 35% more than Al Mubarraz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Al Mubarraz is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$7.36 SAR 27.64
13.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.1K
$36.62 SAR 137
27.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.5K
$8.00 SAR 30.03
18.38%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.08 SAR 7.80
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.10 SAR 7.89
-
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$4.47 SAR 16.76
-29.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,696
$0.67 SAR 2.52
164.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,594
$0.28 SAR 1.06
407.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,943
$1.73 SAR 6.50
-11.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,389
$1.33 SAR 4.99
72.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,273
$2.47 SAR 9.27
-21.46%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,889
$2.99 SAR 11.21
2.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.2K
$10.63 SAR 39.91
-6.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$9.59 SAR 36.01
8.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.0K
$14.99 SAR 56.3
-6.87%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$2.93 SAR 10.99
38.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,929
$1.88 SAR 7.06
-18.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,786
$2.51 SAR 9.41
-16.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,397
$1.78 SAR 6.69
28.65%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,803
$1.17 SAR 4.38
80.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,512
$1.33 SAR 4.99
28.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,774
$1.76 SAR 6.59
-33.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,096
$0.58 SAR 2.17
172.41%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.98 SAR 11.19
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.76 SAR 6.59
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.49 SAR 9.33
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$7.59 SAR 28.48
-48.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,682
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,746
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,805
$1.02 SAR 3.82
15.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.0K
$32.07 SAR 120
137.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,827
$3.27 SAR 12.27
-44.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,867
$1.89 SAR 7.10
12.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.2K
$13.53 SAR 50.8
-39.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,113
$0.64 SAR 2.40
100.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.1M
$26.3K SAR 98.7K
30.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.1M
$21.8K SAR 81.8K
56.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.2K
$107 SAR 402
66.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
$29.24 SAR 110
-52.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.1K
$70.4 SAR 264
-56.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.3K
$78.5 SAR 295
-46.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$13.68 SAR 51.3
-45.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$552 SAR 2,073
43.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$16.5K SAR 62.0K
-25.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.4K
$57.6 SAR 216
50.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.1K
$54.6 SAR 205
8.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.2K
$103 SAR 386
34.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 318.7K
$104 SAR 392
-5.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$557 SAR 2,092
140.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$363 SAR 1,363
83.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$914 SAR 3,433
116.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$611 SAR 2,293
69.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$1,728 SAR 6,485
137.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$1,143 SAR 4,290
69.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Al Mubarraz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$1,069 SAR 4,011
-39.53%
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Al Mubarraz
$363 45.6% $304
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Al Mubarraz
$242 21.2% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Al Mubarraz
$207 7.1% $16
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Al Mubarraz
$140 18.7% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Al Mubarraz
$144 16.6% $29
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Al Mubarraz
$49 47.7% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Al Mubarraz
$106 86.1% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $557 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 65% 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 $47 in Medellin versus $37 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $242 – making Al Mubarraz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇸🇦 Al Mubarraz
🕒 Local time
22:32 10:32 PM
06:32 6:32 AM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
290,802
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.23 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Al Mubarraz 13,130 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Al Mubarraz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Medellin and in Al Mubarraz compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,692 in Medellin, $1,251 in Al Mubarraz – Al Mubarraz comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Al Mubarraz?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $1,876 in Al Mubarraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Al Mubarraz?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Mubarraz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $557 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Al Mubarraz?
Kindergarten costs $790 per month in Medellin and $552 in Al Mubarraz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 27% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How far does $2,000 go in Medellin compared to Al Mubarraz?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,692 in Medellin and $1,251 in Al Mubarraz, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Medellin or Al Mubarraz?
Families tend to lean toward Al Mubarraz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Al Mubarraz?
For expats, Al Mubarraz is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 26% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?