Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ar-rawdah

For one person, living is cheaper in Ar-rawdah: $1,418 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Ar-rawdah, Kuwait
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Ar-rawdah
🇰🇼 Kuwait
$1,418
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ar-rawdah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ar-rawdah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $1,418 in Ar-rawdah.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Ar-rawdah $1,418

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $2,339 in Ar-rawdah.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Ar-rawdah $2,339

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $3,260 in Ar-rawdah.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Ar-rawdah $3,260

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than in Ar-rawdah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Ar-rawdah 4% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$12.71 KWD 3.92
-36.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$64.8 KWD 19.98
-27.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$9.04 KWD 2.78
5.09%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.18 KWD 0.98
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.92 KWD 1.52
-
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,734
$5.06 KWD 1.56
-40.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$0.74 KWD 0.23
143.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,560
$0.31 KWD 0.10
354.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,875
$1.57 KWD 0.48
-3.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,677
$1.47 KWD 0.45
61.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,719
$1.99 KWD 0.61
-11.06%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,332
$2.11 KWD 0.65
36.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$4.38 KWD 1.35
132.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$6.72 KWD 2.07
46.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$10.38 KWD 3.20
34.78%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.48 KWD 0.76
60.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,011
$1.92 KWD 0.59
-19.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$1.87 KWD 0.58
16.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,050
$1.55 KWD 0.48
40.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,336
$1.32 KWD 0.41
48.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,131
$1.44 KWD 0.44
10.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,698
$2.29 KWD 0.71
-49.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.57 KWD 0.18
117.54%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.26 KWD 1.00
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.00 KWD 0.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.39 KWD 0.43
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$2.70 KWD 0.83
46.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,290
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
$0.71 KWD 0.22
64.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$4.85 KWD 1.49
-73.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,611
$3.18 KWD 0.98
-35.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$16.40 KWD 5.05
-47.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,348
$0.35 KWD 0.11
285.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$23.6K KWD 7,284
44.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$19.8K KWD 6,088
75.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.7K
$66.6 KWD 20.52
154.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$22.11 KWD 6.81
-38.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$29.76 KWD 9.17
-5.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$108 KWD 33.25
-59.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$12.82 KWD 3.95
-46.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$505 KWD 156
57.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$9,226 KWD 2,843
-1.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$38.22 KWD 11.78
121.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.1K
$39.68 KWD 12.23
46.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.7K
$96.8 KWD 29.84
39.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$89.4 KWD 27.55
9.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$795 KWD 245
51.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$643 KWD 198
-0.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,611 KWD 496
25.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,361 KWD 419
-25.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,605 KWD 495
19.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ar-rawdah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.53
67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ar-rawdah: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Ar-rawdah
$643 0.2% $1.5
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Ar-rawdah
$187 37.1% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Ar-rawdah
$118 43.9% $93
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Ar-rawdah
$194 14.2% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Ar-rawdah
$119 29.7% $50
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Ar-rawdah
$24 * 74.8% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Ar-rawdah
$134 132% $76

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $795 in Ar-rawdah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $65 in Ar-rawdah. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $187, with Ar-rawdah cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇰🇼 Ar-rawdah
🕒 Local time
12:33 12:33 PM
20:33 8:33 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك
Exchange rates and currency converter

KWD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.24 USD). 1 EUR = 0.344 KWD (1 KWD = 2.91 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ar-rawdah 12,810 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ar-rawdah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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-rawdah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Ar-rawdah?
Ar-rawdah wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ar-rawdah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Ar-rawdah?
You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $2,127 in Ar-rawdah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Ar-rawdah?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $795 in Ar-rawdah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Ar-rawdah?
Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Ar-rawdah?
All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $1,418 in Ar-rawdah – Ar-rawdah is about 14% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or in Ar-rawdah?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ar-rawdah is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Ar-rawdah?
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.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?