Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-Qurain

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-Qurain: $1,426 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Al-Qurain
🇰🇼 Kuwait
$1,426
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Al-Qurain

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Al-Qurain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $1,426 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Al-Qurain $1,426

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $2,256 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Al-Qurain $2,256

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $3,086 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Al-Qurain $3,086

Medellin costs about 13% more than Al-Qurain, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Al-Qurain sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Al-Qurain by 6%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$12.66 KWD 3.90
-37.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$65.3 KWD 20.12
-29.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$8.85 KWD 2.73
7.34%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.12 KWD 0.96
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.88 KWD 1.50
-
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$5.34 KWD 1.64
-41.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$0.73 KWD 0.23
150.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$0.29 KWD 0.09
375.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.56 KWD 0.48
-7.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$1.53 KWD 0.47
54.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$1.88 KWD 0.58
-10.64%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$2.07 KWD 0.64
38.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$4.45 KWD 1.37
128.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$6.50 KWD 2.00
46.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$10.07 KWD 3.10
39.42%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$2.48 KWD 0.76
64.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.84 KWD 0.57
-18.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$1.79 KWD 0.55
21.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$1.47 KWD 0.45
57.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$1.32 KWD 0.41
46.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$1.44 KWD 0.44
13.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$2.25 KWD 0.69
-49.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$0.55 KWD 0.17
127.27%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.22 KWD 0.99
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.06 KWD 0.33
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.38 KWD 0.42
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$2.77 KWD 0.85
44.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$0.92 KWD 0.28
31.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$4.75 KWD 1.46
-72.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$3.16 KWD 0.97
-32.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$16.15 KWD 4.98
-47.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$0.33 KWD 0.10
293.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$20.7K KWD 6,376
35.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$20.0K KWD 6,169
76.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$66.5 KWD 20.50
158.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$22.28 KWD 6.86
-39.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$29.73 KWD 9.16
-3.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$95.0 KWD 29.27
-52.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$11.18 KWD 3.44
-43.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$304 KWD 93.5
153.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$9,172 KWD 2,826
-1.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$37.81 KWD 11.65
128.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$39.18 KWD 12.07
45.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$99.1 KWD 30.52
37.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$87.1 KWD 26.83
12.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$822 KWD 253
28.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$669 KWD 206
-7.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$1,624 KWD 500
16.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$1,220 KWD 376
-16.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Al-Qurain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$4,435 KWD 1,366
-85.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.53
67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Qurain: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Al-Qurain
$669 8.6% $53
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Al-Qurain
$183 37.9% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Al-Qurain
$119 44.7% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Al-Qurain
$118 30.4% $52
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Al-Qurain
$196 16.4% $28
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Al-Qurain
$24 * 74% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Al-Qurain
$117 103% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $822 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 580% higher in Al-Qurain, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin versus $65.0 in Al-Qurain. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Medellin vs $183 in Al-Qurain – so Al-Qurain wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇰🇼 Al-Qurain
🕒 Local time
22:03 10:03 PM
06:03 6:03 AM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
2,458
💱 Currency
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك
Exchange rates and currency converter

KWD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.25 USD). 1 EUR = 0.346 KWD (1 KWD = 2.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Al-Qurain 12,820 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Al-Qurain

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $2,140 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 Al-Qurain, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Al-Qurain?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $65.0 in Al-Qurain. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Al-Qurain?
Groceries cost about 61% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Al-Qurain?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-Qurain, where all-in costs run around $1,426, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Al-Qurain it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Al-Qurain more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Al-Qurain – 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 Al-Qurain. 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.

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