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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,197 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,832 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,467 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Medellin is about 15% cheaper than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Al-Ula are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Al-Ula 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.71 SAR 25.18

-10.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$44.97 SAR 169

-26.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.82 SAR 29.34

-9.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.74 SAR 14.02

-54.28%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.80 SAR 3.02

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.29 SAR 1.07

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.95 SAR 3.56

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.31 SAR 8.69

-40.26%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.67 SAR 25.02

-34.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.71 SAR 28.94

-26.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.05 SAR 48.97

-31.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.27 SAR 8.52

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.59 SAR 5.95

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.56 SAR 5.85

-11.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.24 SAR 4.66

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.27 SAR 4.75

-8.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.23 SAR 4.63

-27.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.60 SAR 2.24

40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$7.19 SAR 26.98

-68.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-21.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$40.67 SAR 153

1.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.62 SAR 9.82

-43.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.89 SAR 7.10

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-42.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.61 SAR 2.29

55.74%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

-32.71%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

16.55%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$103 SAR 388

-20.47%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$33.67 SAR 126

-71.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$71.7 SAR 269

-66.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$86.9 SAR 326

-70.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$35.90 SAR 135

-47.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.87 SAR 59.5

-75.24%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$354 SAR 1,330

-12.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

-14.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$60.2 SAR 226

-2.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$59.2 SAR 222

-45.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$78.7 SAR 295

30.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$83.3 SAR 313

30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$444 SAR 1,667

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$374 SAR 1,405

1.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$863 SAR 3,238

-2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$615 SAR 2,309

17.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,395 SAR 8,988

16.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,347 SAR 5,057

-10.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $444 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 $45.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $197 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,197 in Al-Ula – roughly 18% apart. Al-Ula costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,796 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 $309 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 4% 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 $1,013, than in Al-Ula at $1,197. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,197 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.