Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,213 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,841 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,469 in Arar, rent included.

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than Arar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Arar 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.76 SAR 25.39

-12.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.23 SAR 166

-25.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.88 SAR 29.60

-5.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.75 SAR 14.09

-56.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.79 SAR 2.98

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.31 SAR 1.17

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.99 SAR 3.71

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.28 SAR 8.57

-39.47%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.45 SAR 9.22

-11.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.02 SAR 26.37

-36.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.71 SAR 28.97

-24.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.88 SAR 48.37

-30.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.23 SAR 8.38

4.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-16.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.23 SAR 4.62

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.19 SAR 4.48

-24.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.56 SAR 2.09

60.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.95 SAR 11.09

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.85 SAR 25.71

-67.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$40.08 SAR 151

3.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.63 SAR 9.86

-46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.86 SAR 6.98

4.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$13.47 SAR 50.6

-41.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.59 SAR 2.21

67.80%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.4K SAR 99.1K

-33.33%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

20.11%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$106 SAR 398

-21.64%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$33.94 SAR 127

-71.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$75.2 SAR 282

-68.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$86.9 SAR 326

-70.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$36.11 SAR 136

-47.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$15.78 SAR 59.3

-74.97%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$352 SAR 1,322

-10.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,960 SAR 26.1K

-14.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$58.6 SAR 220

2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$60.4 SAR 227

-47.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$79.4 SAR 298

28.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$82.1 SAR 308

30.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$440 SAR 1,654

7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$383 SAR 1,439

-2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$858 SAR 3,224

-1.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$612 SAR 2,298

17.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,099 SAR 7,883

55.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,269 SAR 4,765

13.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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 27, 2026

Last update for Arar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $440 in Arar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $197 – making Medellin 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 Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,213 in Arar – roughly 21% apart. Arar costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,820 in Arar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 4% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $352 in Arar. 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Arar at $1,213. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,003 in Medellin to $1,213 in Arar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.