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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $869 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,546 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,222 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Medellin is roughly 19% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Al Mukalla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$16.60 YER 3,930

-62.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$37.53 YER 8,883

-13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$16.58 YER 3,924

-55.73%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$8.15 YER 1,929

-78.90%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$3.77 YER 891

-72.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.83 YER 197

-7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.78 YER 185

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$6.46 YER 1,528

-78.33%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$7.18 YER 1,700

-69.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.54 YER 3,442

-69.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$22.96 YER 5,434

-74.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$56.6 YER 13.4K

-84.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$12.91 YER 3,056

-82.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$4.70 YER 1,112

-76.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$4.86 YER 1,151

-68.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.25 YER 770

-58.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$5.46 YER 1,292

-79.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$4.14 YER 980

-72.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$2.52 YER 596

-63.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

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 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $38.00 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $574 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,304 in Al Mukalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 198% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Al Mukalla versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Mukalla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.