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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,194 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,841 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,489 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Medellin is about 14% cheaper than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Al-Ula are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Al-Ula 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.62 SAR 24.88

-6.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$44.37 SAR 167

-26.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.75 SAR 29.11

-5.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.64 SAR 13.67

-52.75%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.80 SAR 3.01

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 SAR 1.08

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.92 SAR 3.47

41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.31 SAR 8.67

-39.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.03 SAR 26.40

-37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.27 SAR 27.29

-19.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.88 SAR 48.37

-32.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.16 SAR 8.13

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.65 SAR 6.19

-32.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.75 SAR 6.59

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-16.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.29 SAR 4.84

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.18 SAR 4.44

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.54 SAR 2.04

68.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.07 SAR 26.56

-66.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-22.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$40.36 SAR 152

0.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-45.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.27 SAR 49.84

-42.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.61 SAR 2.27

62.30%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.4K SAR 98.9K

-31.58%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

18.97%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$107 SAR 400

-24.13%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$33.61 SAR 126

-70.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$71.4 SAR 268

-66.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$86.6 SAR 325

-71.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$36.23 SAR 136

-47.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.59 SAR 58.5

-74.47%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$354 SAR 1,330

-13.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

-11.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$59.8 SAR 224

-2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.8 SAR 228

-47.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$77.7 SAR 292

29.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$82.5 SAR 310

30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$434 SAR 1,628

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$380 SAR 1,425

-0.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$835 SAR 3,137

1.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$615 SAR 2,308

18.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,257 SAR 8,476

42.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,522 SAR 5,716

-9.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.42

203.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $434 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $195 – making Medellin 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,194 in Al-Ula – roughly 16% apart. Al-Ula costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,791 in Al-Ula. 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.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $354 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Al-Ula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Al-Ula at $1,194. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-Ula 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,194 in Al-Ula. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-Ula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.