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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,200 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,827 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,453 in Arar, rent included.

Medellin is about 14% cheaper than Arar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Arar 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$6.58 SAR 24.70

-8.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$45.47 SAR 171

-27.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.93 SAR 29.75

-6.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.56 SAR 13.35

-53.65%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.79 SAR 2.95

35.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.31 SAR 1.18

145.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.93 SAR 3.49

40.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-43.22%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$7.04 SAR 26.43

-37.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$7.60 SAR 28.53

-25.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$12.89 SAR 48.37

-33.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.20 SAR 8.26

6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.60 SAR 6.01

-14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.29 SAR 4.85

-10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.27 SAR 4.78

-7.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.55 SAR 2.05

56.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.56 SAR 9.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$7.16 SAR 26.85

-68.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.09 SAR 4.07

-27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$40.58 SAR 152

0.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$2.59 SAR 9.71

-43.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.81 SAR 6.81

6.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$13.14 SAR 49.31

-40.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.61 SAR 2.28

65.57%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$27.1K SAR 101.8K

-34.91%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$22.2K SAR 83.3K

19.24%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$106 SAR 397

-23.43%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$33.21 SAR 125

-71.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$77.8 SAR 292

-69.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$89.3 SAR 335

-70.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$35.72 SAR 134

-47.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$15.76 SAR 59.1

-74.05%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$353 SAR 1,326

-11.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

-12.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$60.3 SAR 226

-1.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$61.3 SAR 230

-47.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$80.1 SAR 301

26.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$83.3 SAR 313

26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$437 SAR 1,641

11.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$379 SAR 1,422

-3.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$856 SAR 3,211

-3.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$634 SAR 2,381

15.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,384 SAR 8,948

25.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,466 SAR 5,502

-10.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Arar: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $437 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 $45.00 in Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $196 – 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: $1,028 in Medellin, $1,200 in Arar – roughly 17% apart. Arar costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,800 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 1% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $353 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 $1,028, than in Arar at $1,200. 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 $1,028 in Medellin to $1,200 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.