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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $934 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,412 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,890 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Medellin costs about 76% more than Ar-rustaq, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ar-rustaq is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.9K

$5.27 OMR 2.03

52.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.7K

$34.12 OMR 13.13

41.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.2K

$7.61 OMR 2.93

23.78%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,105

$4.88 OMR 1.88

-39.75%

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

$1.86 COP 5,776

$0.85 OMR 0.33

118.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,511

$0.29 OMR 0.11

403.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,953

$13.01 OMR 5.01

-75.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$13.14 OMR 5.06

-56.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,460

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-36.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,442

$1.28 OMR 0.49

87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,265

$1.83 OMR 0.70

-7.10%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,960

$2.86 OMR 1.10

1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$7.47 OMR 2.88

34.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.9K

$6.70 OMR 2.58

48.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.0K

$10.59 OMR 4.08

34.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.51 OMR 1.35

13.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,913

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-21.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,671

$2.42 OMR 0.93

-11.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,129

$1.19 OMR 0.46

93.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,213

$1.21 OMR 0.47

65.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,679

$1.24 OMR 0.48

21.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,727

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,974

$0.62 OMR 0.24

106.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$6.32 OMR 2.43

-39.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.4K

$15.53 OMR 5.98

-9.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,294

$5.43 OMR 2.09

-68.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,500

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-69.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,861

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,045

$3.19 OMR 1.23

-58.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,728

$2.68 OMR 1.03

-19.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.7K

$8.02 OMR 3.09

3.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,202

$0.61 OMR 0.23

122.95%

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

$27.5K COP 85.2M

$25.2K OMR 9,695

9.10%

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

$36.5K COP 113.2M

$22.4K OMR 8,606

63.45%

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

$169 COP 523.0K

$174 OMR 66.9

-2.87%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$30.45 OMR 11.72

-55.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.8K

$69.1 OMR 26.60

-59.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$10.37 OMR 3.99

-35.87%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$288 OMR 111

178.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$10.6K OMR 4,064

-12.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 270.8K

$55.7 OMR 21.44

56.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.0K

$43.38 OMR 16.70

36.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 430.5K

$89.5 OMR 34.47

55.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.3K

$97.3 OMR 37.44

4.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$4,389 OMR 1,690

-85.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.25

108.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ar-rustaq: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 570% higher in Ar-rustaq, 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 $34.00 in Ar-rustaq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $284 – making Ar-rustaq the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,401 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $934 in Ar-rustaq. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $288 in Ar-rustaq. 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 Ar-rustaq, where all-in costs run around $934, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Ar-rustaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ar-rustaq – 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 Ar-rustaq. 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.