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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $870 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,554 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,238 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Al Mukalla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$16.72 YER 3,985

-64.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$37.33 YER 8,895

-11.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$16.27 YER 3,877

-56.42%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$8.09 YER 1,929

-78.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$3.77 YER 899

-70.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.78 YER 186

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.86 YER 205

46.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$6.60 YER 1,572

-79.09%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$7.29 YER 1,738

-69.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.27 YER 3,401

-69.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$23.34 YER 5,561

-75.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$58.5 YER 13.9K

-84.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$12.76 YER 3,042

-81.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$4.83 YER 1,151

-78.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.80 YER 1,144

-68.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.20 YER 764

-56.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$5.21 YER 1,243

-77.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$4.16 YER 990

-72.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$2.48 YER 591

-66.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $37.00 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $581 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 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 208% 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 $37.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Al Mukalla versus $1,013 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.