Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aqaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aqaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $918 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,477 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,035 in Aqaba, rent included.

Medellin costs about 84% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Aqaba is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.84 JOD 2.01

177.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$66.8 JOD 47.32

-33.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$4.16 JOD 2.94

123.32%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.32 JOD 3.06

-32.87%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.66 JOD 0.47

174.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.57 JOD 0.40

171.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$8.57 JOD 6.07

-62.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$10.87 JOD 7.70

-45.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.38 JOD 0.98

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.47 JOD 0.33

421.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.57 JOD 1.11

-3.82%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.71 JOD 1.21

62.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$5.54 JOD 3.92

63.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.15 JOD 2.94

156.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.10 JOD 7.15

44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.44 JOD 1.02

175.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.04 JOD 0.73

121.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.68 JOD 0.48

197.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.69 JOD 0.49

202.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.70 JOD 0.49

132.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.61 JOD 0.43

77.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.57 JOD 0.40

119.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.84 JOD 2.72

4.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$17.16 JOD 12.15

-21.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.77 JOD 1.96

-42.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.45 JOD 1.73

22.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.47 JOD 0.33

242.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.45 JOD 1.03

46.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$6.91 JOD 4.89

23.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.41 JOD 1.00

-4.26%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$30.8K JOD 21.8K

-8.06%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$30.7K JOD 21.7K

16.35%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$138 JOD 97.9

9.45%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$15.64 JOD 11.07

-16.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$31.70 JOD 22.44

1.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$62.3 JOD 44.13

-25.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$11.13 JOD 7.88

-42.23%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$484 JOD 343

72.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$2,785 JOD 1,972

219.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$27.77 JOD 19.66

221.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$41.69 JOD 29.52

32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$43.12 JOD 30.53

216.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$71.8 JOD 50.8

52.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$286 JOD 203

232.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$208 JOD 147

221.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$670 JOD 474

201.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$451 JOD 319

154.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,121 JOD 794

229.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$559 JOD 396

183.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$554 JOD 392

12.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.81

53.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $286 in Aqaba. 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 13% higher in Medellin, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $67.0 in Aqaba. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $188 in Aqaba – so Aqaba 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 Aqaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,377 in Aqaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aqaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $918 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $835 per month in Medellin and $484 in Aqaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – 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 Aqaba. 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.