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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $519 in Al-Qusayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $808 in Al-Qusayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,097 in Al-Qusayr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 96% more expensive than Al-Qusayr, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Al-Qusayr 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.07 SYP 671

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$27.52 SYP 3,041

21.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.44 SYP 601

32.90%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.49 SYP 165

9.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.99 SYP 109

10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.72 SYP 79.2

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.57 SYP 174

10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.57 SYP 284

25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.04 SYP 114

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.58 SYP 64.4

122.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.69 SYP 187

-21.89%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.86 SYP 206

22.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.13 SYP 346

38.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.54 SYP 834

-22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.25 SYP 1,243

-23.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.86 SYP 95.5

161.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.74 SYP 192

-38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.03 SYP 113

47.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.94 SYP 104

51.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.61 SYP 67.4

91.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.65 SYP 71.9

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.40 SYP 44.26

122.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.62 SYP 68.9

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.09 SYP 341

-27.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.92 SYP 654

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.03 SYP 113

10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.75 SYP 193

36.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.99 SYP 109

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.02 SYP 112

86.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$0.99 SYP 109

682.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.98 SYP 108

3.06%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

-3.76%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.7K SYP 2.3M

27.97%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$101 SYP 11.2K

-17.12%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.36 SYP 924

13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$55.6 SYP 6,140

-56.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.01 SYP 333

36.21%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$43.32 SYP 4,787

620.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,822 SYP 201.4K

228.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$29.26 SYP 3,233

98.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$25.83 SYP 2,854

26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$45.15 SYP 4,989

120.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$56.1 SYP 6,204

93.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

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

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al-Qusayr: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Al-Qusayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $168 per month, with Al-Qusayr cheaper across the board.

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-Qusayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Qusayr is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $779 in Al-Qusayr to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $519 in Al-Qusayr – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Al-Qusayr versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Qusayr but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Qusayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Qusayr is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al-Qusayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.