Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Amwaj Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Amwaj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $613 in Amwaj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,394 in Amwaj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $4,175 in Amwaj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 180% more than Amwaj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Amwaj is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$10.63 BHD 4.01

-24.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$31.28 BHD 11.79

54.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$9.82 BHD 3.70

-0.51%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.94 BHD 1.49

-26.14%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.16 BHD 0.82

-10.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.68 BHD 0.26

123.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$7.85 BHD 2.96

-60.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$10.74 BHD 4.05

-46.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.38 BHD 2.03

-27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.74 BHD 0.28

75.68%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$37.8K BHD 14.2K

-6.04%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$132 BHD 49.82

33.25%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$23.82 BHD 8.98

-43.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$67.1 BHD 25.31

-55.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$13.3K BHD 5,024

-32.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$65.0 BHD 24.50

31.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$65.9 BHD 24.85

-11.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$93.6 BHD 35.27

45.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$119 BHD 44.94

-13.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$2,393 BHD 902

-15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$2,992 BHD 1,128

-60.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$3,932 BHD 1,482

-83.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Amwaj: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 491% higher in Amwaj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Amwaj. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 Amwaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 180% more than Amwaj, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $920 in Amwaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $613 in Amwaj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Amwaj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amwaj, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Amwaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Amwaj costs $613 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Amwaj. 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.