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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,515 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,571 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,626 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

Medellin is about 33% cheaper than Al Wakrah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Al Wakrah is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.71 QAR 17.13

27.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$41.61 QAR 151

-21.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.16 QAR 22.43

15.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.48 QAR 41.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.96 QAR 39.90

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.13 QAR 18.68

-66.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.81 QAR 2.94

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.33 QAR 1.21

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.91 QAR 6.95

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.53 QAR 5.57

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.13 QAR 7.74

-35.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.58 QAR 9.39

-15.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.16 QAR 26.05

-38.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.65 QAR 27.83

-26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.13 QAR 29.59

9.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.98 QAR 7.21

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.58 QAR 5.75

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.52 QAR 5.55

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.09 QAR 3.95

26.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.00 QAR 3.66

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.98 QAR 3.55

18.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.31 QAR 4.77

-32.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.49 QAR 1.80

71.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.07 QAR 29.37

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 QAR 10.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$6.30 QAR 22.92

-63.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.53 QAR 1.95

62.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$54.5 QAR 199

-24.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.14 QAR 7.79

-31.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.13 QAR 7.77

-7.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.92 QAR 50.7

-44.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.59 QAR 2.15

61.02%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$22.3K QAR 81.2K

-18.75%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.5K QAR 74.5K

29.42%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$92.4 QAR 336

-10.95%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$38.06 QAR 139

-75.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$85.5 QAR 311

-71.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$94.4 QAR 344

-72.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$16.59 QAR 60.4

14.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.32 QAR 30.29

-52.76%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$685 QAR 2,495

-54.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$11.7K QAR 42.5K

-48.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$62.3 QAR 227

-5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.34 QAR 129

-8.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$93.3 QAR 339

10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$68.7 QAR 250

57.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$958 QAR 3,489

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$696 QAR 2,534

-45.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,889 QAR 6,876

-55.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,879 QAR 6,841

-61.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,174 QAR 15.2K

-87.74%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Wakrah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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 716% 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 $42.00 in Al Wakrah. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $184 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 50%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,272 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 $309 per month in Medellin and $685 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 2% 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 $1,013, than in Al Wakrah at $1,515. 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.