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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,270 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,660 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Medellin is about 19% cheaper than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Al Mubarraz are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Al Mubarraz 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.48 SAR 28.08

-17.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$37.94 SAR 142

-14.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.12 SAR 26.72

3.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.00 SAR 15.03

-57.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.66 SAR 2.47

59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.19 SAR 0.72

305.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.26 SAR 4.73

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-42.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-18.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.36 SAR 31.38

-47.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$10.16 SAR 38.15

-42.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.49 SAR 54.4

-40.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.31 SAR 8.69

-1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-33.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.86 SAR 6.99

-17.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.55 SAR 5.80

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.51 SAR 5.67

-25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-40.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 SAR 1.97

71.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.79 SAR 10.48

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.52 SAR 28.24

-68.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-22.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$40.33 SAR 151

0.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.29 SAR 12.37

-56.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.91 SAR 7.19

0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-43.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.54 SAR 2.04

83.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.8K SAR 74.4K

-9.02%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.6K SAR 88.5K

12.99%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$104 SAR 392

-22.66%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$35.57 SAR 134

-72.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$75.3 SAR 283

-67.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$87.7 SAR 329

-71.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$35.03 SAR 132

-45.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.69 SAR 58.9

-74.63%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$452 SAR 1,697

-32.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,474 SAR 35.6K

-36.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$59.6 SAR 224

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$63.5 SAR 238

-49.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$107 SAR 401

-5.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$99.6 SAR 374

8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$438 SAR 1,644

8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$381 SAR 1,429

-1.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$848 SAR 3,184

-0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$632 SAR 2,375

15.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,117 SAR 7,947

51.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,437 SAR 5,397

-4.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,073 SAR 4,027

-42.49%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $438 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 74% higher in Al Mubarraz, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $225 – making Medellin 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,270 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 23% apart. Al Mubarraz costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,905 in Al Mubarraz. 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $452 in Al Mubarraz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Al Mubarraz, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Al Mubarraz at $1,270. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Mubarraz 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,270 in Al Mubarraz. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Mubarraz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.