Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-qardahah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-qardahah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $526 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $819 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,113 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Al-qardahah 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.89 SYP 716

4.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.02 SYP 3,284

20.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.58 SYP 678

31.54%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.49 SYP 181

15.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.13 SYP 138

-7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.72 SYP 87.0

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.62 SYP 197

4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.54 SYP 308

24.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.97 SYP 117

8.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.60 SYP 72.8

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.68 SYP 204

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.87 SYP 227

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.04 SYP 369

44.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.44 SYP 904

-20.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.45 SYP 1,391

-24.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.94 SYP 115

142.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.80 SYP 218

-38.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.02 SYP 124

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.89 SYP 109

51.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.66 SYP 80.4

71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.66 SYP 80.5

71.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.40 SYP 49.21

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.58 SYP 69.9

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.04 SYP 370

-23.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.04 SYP 977

53.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.98 SYP 119

22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.75 SYP 213

42.29%

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

$0.99 SYP 120

43.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.22 SYP 148

57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.47 SYP 787

18.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$3.78 SYP 459

-73.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.3K SYP 2.2M

-1.71%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.7K SYP 2.5M

28.87%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$101 SYP 12.3K

-20.27%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.20 SYP 996

21.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$55.2 SYP 6,712

-56.23%

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

$3.07 SYP 374

29.64%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$44.51 SYP 5,409

585.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,843 SYP 224.0K

228.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$29.18 SYP 3,546

99.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.02 SYP 3,162

23.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$45.33 SYP 5,508

122.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.3 SYP 6,720

94.85%

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

13.75

-2.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Al-qardahah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $171 – making Al-qardahah 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-qardahah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 96%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $789 in Al-qardahah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Al-qardahah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, 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 Al-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $526, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Al-qardahah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-qardahah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al-qardahah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.