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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,353 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,337 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $3,321 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Al-Qurain, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Al-Qurain is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91 COP 18.6K
$9.97 KWD 3.07
-40.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96 COP 103.8K
$81.8 KWD 25.15
-59.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.43 COP 23.4K
$8.81 KWD 2.71
-15.66%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.52 KWD 0.78
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.60 KWD 1.11
-
Cappuccino
$1.65 COP 5,207
$5.84 KWD 1.80
-71.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COP 3,468
$0.64 KWD 0.20
71.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COP 2,458
$0.35 KWD 0.11
122.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 COP 5,412
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 COP 3,474
$1.62 KWD 0.50
-32.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COP 3,962
$1.25 KWD 0.38
0.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COP 4,349
$1.73 KWD 0.53
-20.23%
Eggs
$2.18 COP 6,858
$2.02 KWD 0.62
7.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.49 COP 14.1K
$5.18 KWD 1.59
-13.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.79 COP 18.2K
$6.34 KWD 1.95
-8.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.97 COP 28.2K
$10.24 KWD 3.15
-12.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 COP 7,308
$2.37 KWD 0.73
-2.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COP 3,352
$1.95 KWD 0.60
-45.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 COP 4,774
$1.76 KWD 0.54
-13.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.36 COP 4,270
$1.46 KWD 0.45
-6.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,552
$1.28 KWD 0.39
-11.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 COP 3,689
$1.26 KWD 0.39
-7.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 COP 2,838
$1.66 KWD 0.51
-45.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 COP 2,823
$0.49 KWD 0.15
83.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.13 KWD 0.96
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.02 KWD 0.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.32 KWD 0.41
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23 COP 7,034
$3.01 KWD 0.93
-25.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.12 COP 38.2K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 COP 3,743
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 COP 7,815
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 COP 2,687
$0.83 KWD 0.25
2.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.62 COP 131.0K
$43.38 KWD 13.34
-4.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 4,459
$3.28 KWD 1.01
-56.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 COP 6,141
$3.30 KWD 1.01
-40.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.89 COP 24.8K
$16.12 KWD 4.96
-51.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 COP 3,118
$0.34 KWD 0.10
191.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6K COP 55.4M
$21.2K KWD 6,518
-16.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K COP 84.4M
$19.5K KWD 5,986
37.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 COP 261.4K
$62.1 KWD 19.11
33.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70 COP 30.5K
$18.66 KWD 5.74
-48.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 COP 74.1K
$25.71 KWD 7.91
-8.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.26 COP 79.5K
$93.2 KWD 28.68
-72.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 COP 60.1K
$46.02 KWD 14.15
-58.50%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95 COP 12.4K
$11.54 KWD 3.55
-65.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$316 COP 994.2K
$395 KWD 121
-19.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,975 COP 18.8M
$6,591 KWD 2,027
-9.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0 COP 188.9K
$41.60 KWD 12.79
44.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82 COP 100.2K
$43.17 KWD 13.28
-26.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 COP 320.1K
$86.3 KWD 26.54
17.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 COP 338.3K
$80.9 KWD 24.88
32.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$475 COP 1.5M
$806 KWD 248
-41.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$374 COP 1.2M
$615 KWD 189
-39.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$849 COP 2.7M
$1,562 KWD 480
-45.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$719 COP 2.3M
$1,268 KWD 390
-43.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,265 COP 10.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,441 COP 4.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$624 COP 2.0M
$4,450 KWD 1,369
-85.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
7.14
88.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al-Qurain: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $806 in Al-Qurain. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 613% higher in Al-Qurain, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $82.0 in Al-Qurain. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $178 in Al-Qurain – so Al-Qurain wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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-Qurain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-Qurain cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Al-Qurain is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,029 in Al-Qurain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 4% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $395 in Al-Qurain. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Al-Qurain?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Al-Qurain at $1,353. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-Qurain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Al-Qurain more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Al-Qurain?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-Qurain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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