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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,390 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,326 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,262 in Al-Qurain, rent included.

Medellin is about 27% cheaper than Al-Qurain, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Al-Qurain is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.65 KWD 2.97

-38.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$82.8 KWD 25.44

-59.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.12 KWD 2.80

-20.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 KWD 1.11

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.85 KWD 1.80

-72.14%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.70 KWD 0.21

55.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.35 KWD 0.11

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.26 KWD 0.39

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.70 KWD 0.52

-22.35%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.09 KWD 0.64

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.34 KWD 1.64

-18.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.43 KWD 1.98

-8.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.53 KWD 3.24

-18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.44 KWD 0.75

-7.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-43.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.78 KWD 0.55

-14.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.49 KWD 0.46

-4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.22 KWD 0.38

-4.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.32 KWD 0.40

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.62 KWD 0.50

-45.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 KWD 0.14

95.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.01 KWD 0.92

-25.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.89 KWD 0.27

-5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$43.72 KWD 13.43

-4.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.31 KWD 1.02

-57.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.32 KWD 1.02

-42.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$16.63 KWD 5.11

-53.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.34 KWD 0.10

197.06%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.4K KWD 6,582

-17.96%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.8K KWD 6,098

33.48%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$61.8 KWD 18.97

35.49%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.33 KWD 5.63

-48.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$25.44 KWD 7.81

-5.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$95.6 KWD 29.36

-73.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$45.73 KWD 14.05

-58.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$11.52 KWD 3.54

-64.41%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$410 KWD 126

-23.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,480 KWD 1,991

-7.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$41.48 KWD 12.74

39.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$41.96 KWD 12.89

-22.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$88.9 KWD 27.31

12.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$82.7 KWD 25.41

31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$804 KWD 247

-39.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$605 KWD 186

-37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,558 KWD 479

-46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,277 KWD 392

-43.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$5,625 KWD 1,728

-90.38%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al-Qurain: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $804 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 940% 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 $83.0 in Al-Qurain. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $180 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

Yes – Al-Qurain is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,085 in Al-Qurain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $410 in Al-Qurain. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Al-Qurain at $1,390. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-Qurain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

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.