Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Wakrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al Wakrah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,526 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,585 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,644 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

Medellin is about 32% cheaper than Al Wakrah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Al Wakrah is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.87 QAR 17.74

26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$40.82 QAR 149

-20.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.20 QAR 22.58

18.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.28

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.82 QAR 39.39

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.03 QAR 18.30

-65.81%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.84 QAR 3.05

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.31 QAR 1.12

148.39%

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

$1.83 QAR 6.68

-42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.55 QAR 5.65

-16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.20 QAR 7.99

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.64 QAR 9.62

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.12 QAR 25.93

-38.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.96 QAR 28.97

-26.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.99 QAR 29.08

8.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.99 QAR 7.25

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.61 QAR 5.86

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.58 QAR 5.76

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.08 QAR 3.94

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.98 QAR 3.57

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.91 QAR 3.30

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.39 QAR 5.05

-38.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.46 QAR 1.67

97.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.40 QAR 37.84

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 QAR 10.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.45 QAR 23.49

-63.72%

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

$0.53 QAR 1.94

58.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$55.6 QAR 202

-27.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.26 QAR 8.22

-37.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.14 QAR 7.78

-10.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.63 QAR 49.61

-43.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.54 QAR 1.97

83.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.0K QAR 83.9K

-21.75%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.6K QAR 75.0K

29.26%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$93.5 QAR 341

-13.61%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$38.17 QAR 139

-73.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$86.1 QAR 313

-71.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$95.4 QAR 347

-73.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.71 QAR 60.8

14.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.43 QAR 30.68

-52.79%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$674 QAR 2,454

-54.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.8K QAR 43.1K

-48.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$62.3 QAR 227

-6.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.95 QAR 127

-7.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$92.1 QAR 335

9.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.0 QAR 251

56.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$958 QAR 3,486

-50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$701 QAR 2,553

-46.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,892 QAR 6,885

-55.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,846 QAR 6,719

-60.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$4,365 QAR 15.9K

-85.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Wakrah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $958 in Al Wakrah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 608% higher in Al Wakrah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Al Wakrah. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $186 in Al Wakrah – so Al Wakrah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Wakrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al Wakrah is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,290 in Al Wakrah. 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 $674 in Al Wakrah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Al Wakrah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Al Wakrah at $1,526. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Wakrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Wakrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.