Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,174 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,802 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,431 in Ar-rass.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 12% less than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ar-rass 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.58 SAR 24.71

-6.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$43.89 SAR 165

-25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.93 SAR 29.79

-7.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.69 SAR 13.87

-53.39%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.79 SAR 2.97

32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 SAR 1.08

165.52%

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

$2.33 SAR 8.77

-54.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.06 SAR 3.97

22.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.51 SAR 5.69

-7.28%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.62 SAR 13.58

-40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.82 SAR 25.62

-35.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.40 SAR 27.79

-20.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.14 SAR 49.34

-34.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.18 SAR 8.19

4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-32.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.56 SAR 5.84

-13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.23 SAR 4.61

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.27 SAR 4.76

-11.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.24 SAR 4.66

-31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 SAR 2.07

65.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.40 SAR 9.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.23 SAR 23.40

-62.44%

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

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-20.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.89 SAR 150

1.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-46.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.86 SAR 6.98

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.19 SAR 49.52

-41.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.58 SAR 2.18

70.69%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

-31.83%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

19.89%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$107 SAR 403

-24.78%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$33.12 SAR 124

-69.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$72.8 SAR 273

-66.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$45.13 SAR 169

-44.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$35.22 SAR 132

-45.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.83 SAR 59.4

-74.86%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$355 SAR 1,334

-14.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,847 SAR 25.7K

-11.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$21.29 SAR 79.9

173.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.0 SAR 225

-46.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$79.2 SAR 297

27.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$83.0 SAR 312

29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$437 SAR 1,641

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$386 SAR 1,450

-2.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$384 SAR 1,442

120.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$615 SAR 2,308

18.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,551 SAR 9,579

26.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,264 SAR 4,746

8.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,700 SAR 6,383

-63.71%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $437 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 176% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $205 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ar-rass differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,174 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 176% lower in Ar-rass. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $437 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $355 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Ar-rass. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,174 in Ar-rass, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ar-rass. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Ar-rass. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.