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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,170 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,763 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,356 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Al-Ula is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$6.78 SAR 25.47

18.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$37.83 SAR 142

26.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.02 SAR 30.13

23.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SAR 7.69

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.52 SAR 13.22

-11.08%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.88 SAR 3.29

117.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.24 SAR 0.90

529.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.17 SAR 4.38

112.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.14 SAR 8.05

-17.29%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.30 SAR 8.64

28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.57 SAR 28.43

33.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$8.24 SAR 30.95

22.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$12.88 SAR 48.39

11.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.15 SAR 8.08

92.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.63 SAR 6.12

38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.67 SAR 6.26

34.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.18 SAR 4.42

72.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.34 SAR 5.03

14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.20 SAR 4.51

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.59 SAR 2.20

122.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 SAR 10.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.49 SAR 24.38

-39.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.08 SAR 4.07

12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$36.61 SAR 138

119.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.96 SAR 11.10

-55.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.83 SAR 6.87

19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$13.06 SAR 49.05

-33.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.60 SAR 2.24

128.33%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$45.5K SAR 171.0K

-38.86%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$21.3K SAR 80.2K

67.59%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$99.1 SAR 372

78.89%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$32.70 SAR 123

-57.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$66.5 SAR 250

-55.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$85.5 SAR 321

-47.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$36.82 SAR 138

-53.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$13.05 SAR 49.04

-49.04%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$344 SAR 1,294

136.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$6,746 SAR 25.3K

36.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$49.83 SAR 187

79.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$58.8 SAR 221

0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$97.7 SAR 367

41.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$87.2 SAR 328

17.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$583 SAR 2,190

82.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$341 SAR 1,280

94.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$894 SAR 3,358

111.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$557 SAR 2,093

84.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,395 SAR 8,998

74.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,349 SAR 5,068

24.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.47

100.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $583 in Al-Ula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $204 – making Al-Ula the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,170 in Al-Ula – roughly 44% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,754 in Al-Ula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $344 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,170, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,170 in Al-Ula to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Al-Ula. 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.