Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ardiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ardiya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,379 in Ardiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,311 in Ardiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,242 in Ardiya, rent included.

Medellin is about 25% cheaper than Ardiya, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Ardiya is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.58 KWD 2.97

-35.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$81.4 KWD 25.23

-59.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.74 KWD 2.71

-16.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 KWD 1.13

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$6.08 KWD 1.88

-71.71%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.65 KWD 0.20

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.35 KWD 0.11

120.00%

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

$1.62 KWD 0.50

-35.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.29 KWD 0.40

0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.73 KWD 0.54

-19.08%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.11 KWD 0.66

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.19 KWD 1.61

-15.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.32 KWD 1.96

-6.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.45 KWD 3.24

-17.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.37 KWD 0.74

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.80 KWD 0.56

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.46 KWD 0.45

-7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.29 KWD 0.40

-12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.32 KWD 0.41

-14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.67 KWD 0.52

-49.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.49 KWD 0.15

85.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.89 KWD 0.90

-19.03%

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

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$43.37 KWD 13.44

-6.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.18 KWD 0.99

-55.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.29 KWD 1.02

-41.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$16.36 KWD 5.07

-53.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.33 KWD 0.10

200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.9K KWD 6,480

-13.77%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.2K KWD 6,250

32.02%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$63.5 KWD 19.68

27.24%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.84 KWD 5.84

-47.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.07 KWD 8.08

-7.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$95.5 KWD 29.60

-73.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$45.90 KWD 14.22

-58.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.66 KWD 3.61

-65.87%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$397 KWD 123

-23.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,621 KWD 2,052

-8.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$42.28 KWD 13.10

37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.85 KWD 13.28

-24.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$88.6 KWD 27.46

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$83.0 KWD 25.72

29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$792 KWD 245

-39.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$616 KWD 191

-38.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,559 KWD 483

-45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,288 KWD 399

-43.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.14

88.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ardiya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $792 in Ardiya. 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 $81.0 in Ardiya. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $180 in Ardiya – so Ardiya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ardiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ardiya costs about 34% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,069 in Ardiya. 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 7% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $397 in Ardiya. 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 $1,031, than in Ardiya at $1,379. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ardiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,379 in Ardiya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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