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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $523 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $819 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,114 in Al-qardahah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 93% more than Al-qardahah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al-qardahah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al-qardahah 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.92 SYP 654

1.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$27.69 SYP 3,060

18.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.53 SYP 611

28.21%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.56 SYP 172

9.62%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.12 SYP 123

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.73 SYP 81.2

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.64 SYP 181

2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.51 SYP 278

22.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.94 SYP 104

15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.64 SYP 70.3

96.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.68 SYP 185

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.92 SYP 212

14.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.10 SYP 343

41.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.69 SYP 849

-26.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.35 SYP 1,255

-21.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.87 SYP 96.6

168.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.82 SYP 201

-41.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.03 SYP 114

45.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.89 SYP 98.8

55.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.66 SYP 72.6

74.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.66 SYP 73.1

75.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.41 SYP 45.24

117.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.57 SYP 63.4

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.08 SYP 340

-25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.96 SYP 658

78.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.02 SYP 113

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.85 SYP 204

33.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.02 SYP 113

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.29 SYP 142

51.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.52 SYP 721

18.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$3.76 SYP 416

-74.73%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$18.1K SYP 2.0M

-0.05%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.3K SYP 2.4M

24.45%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$102 SYP 11.3K

-19.58%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.36 SYP 923

13.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$54.5 SYP 6,023

-55.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.95 SYP 326

33.22%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$44.02 SYP 4,864

602.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,819 SYP 201.0K

227.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$29.62 SYP 3,273

98.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.95 SYP 2,868

24.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$45.48 SYP 5,026

125.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$55.3 SYP 6,112

96.04%

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 9.9M

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

13.75

-2.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-qardahah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Al-qardahah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $168 – 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 93%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $785 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 $28.00 in Al-qardahah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $523, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.