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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $520 in Al-Qusayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $813 in Al-Qusayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,106 in Al-Qusayr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 93% more expensive than in Al-Qusayr, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Al-Qusayr 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$5.85 SYP 710

1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$27.55 SYP 3,347

19.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.34 SYP 648

39.14%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.55 SYP 189

6.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.02 SYP 124

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.67 SYP 81.9

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.63 SYP 198

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.53 SYP 307

25.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.03 SYP 126

6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.59 SYP 71.8

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.73 SYP 211

-20.23%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.91 SYP 233

14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$3.11 SYP 378

44.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$7.54 SYP 916

-23.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$11.22 SYP 1,363

-20.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$0.92 SYP 112

152.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.80 SYP 218

-41.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.99 SYP 120

53.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.91 SYP 111

49.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.66 SYP 79.7

71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.62 SYP 75.8

88.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.37 SYP 45.32

143.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.63 SYP 76.5

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.95 SYP 358

-24.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.11 SYP 985

49.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.98 SYP 119

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.81 SYP 220

37.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.03 SYP 125

37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.02 SYP 124

91.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$0.98 SYP 119

705.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.03 SYP 125

-3.88%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

-3.11%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$21.3K SYP 2.6M

25.59%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$100 SYP 12.2K

-17.21%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$8.38 SYP 1,018

15.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$54.3 SYP 6,592

-56.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$3.04 SYP 370

29.93%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$43.07 SYP 5,233

633.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$1,827 SYP 222.0K

227.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$29.30 SYP 3,560

104.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$25.87 SYP 3,144

23.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$45.46 SYP 5,524

123.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$55.1 SYP 6,699

94.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al-Qusayr: July 26, 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 $193 vs $172 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $780 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 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $520 in Al-Qusayr – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $520 in Al-Qusayr versus $1,003 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 93% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.