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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,219 in Al Muharraq.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,752 in Al Muharraq.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,284 in Al Muharraq.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 15% less than in Al Muharraq, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Al Muharraq 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.09 BHD 1.54

50.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.83 BHD 10.11

21.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.29 BHD 1.99

38.75%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.07 BHD 1.53

-57.74%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.85 BHD 0.32

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.36 BHD 0.14

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$5.36 BHD 2.02

-68.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.82 BHD 2.95

-59.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.30 BHD 0.49

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.52 BHD 0.20

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.32 BHD 0.87

-39.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.33 BHD 0.88

-7.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.62 BHD 1.74

-4.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.15 BHD 1.94

14.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.93 BHD 2.99

8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.20 BHD 0.45

90.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.59 BHD 0.60

-30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.07 BHD 0.40

42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.22 BHD 0.46

10.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.76 BHD 0.29

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.52 BHD 0.20

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.16 BHD 0.44

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 BHD 0.19

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.27 BHD 1.99

-55.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.78 BHD 7.08

-34.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.35 BHD 1.26

-64.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.16 BHD 1.19

-21.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.83 BHD 0.31

1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.70 BHD 1.77

-69.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.69 BHD 1.01

-28.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.23 BHD 1.97

46.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.44 BHD 0.17

125.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$37.0K BHD 14.0K

-51.32%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$15.6K BHD 5,896

70.22%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$105 BHD 39.71

-23.29%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$21.06 BHD 7.94

-52.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$39.15 BHD 14.76

-38.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$52.3 BHD 19.72

-52.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.15 BHD 2.70

-44.34%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$387 BHD 146

-21.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,944 BHD 2,240

1.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.95 BHD 10.16

115.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$63.9 BHD 24.09

-49.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.4 BHD 31.44

20.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$90.3 BHD 34.02

19.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$608 BHD 229

-21.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$504 BHD 190

-25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$969 BHD 365

-12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$790 BHD 298

-7.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,011 BHD 758

59.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,612 BHD 608

-14.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,549 BHD 584

-60.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.56

56.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Muharraq: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $608 in Al Muharraq. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Muharraq pays 151% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Al Muharraq. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $201, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Muharraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Al Muharraq differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,219 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 151% lower in Al Muharraq. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $608 in Al Muharraq. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Al Muharraq. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,219 in Al Muharraq – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,219 in Al Muharraq, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Al Muharraq. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Al Muharraq. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.