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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,355 in Ardiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,344 in Ardiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,332 in Ardiya, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Ardiya is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$9.72 KWD 2.98

-38.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$82.8 KWD 25.38

-60.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.95 KWD 2.75

-20.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 KWD 1.15

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$6.11 KWD 1.88

-72.01%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.70 KWD 0.21

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.37 KWD 0.11

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.54 KWD 0.47

-29.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.26 KWD 0.39

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.77 KWD 0.54

-22.03%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.11 KWD 0.65

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.31 KWD 1.63

-17.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.67 KWD 2.05

-15.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.23 KWD 3.14

-13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.41 KWD 0.74

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-43.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.75 KWD 0.54

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.50 KWD 0.46

-8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.21 KWD 0.37

-4.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.31 KWD 0.40

-11.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.45 KWD 0.14

86.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.00 KWD 0.92

-24.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$44.69 KWD 13.70

-7.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.20 KWD 0.98

-54.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.21 KWD 0.98

-38.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$16.61 KWD 5.10

-53.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.34 KWD 0.10

179.41%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.8K KWD 6,393

-13.02%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.0K KWD 6,145

32.20%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$62.9 KWD 19.28

30.83%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.85 KWD 5.78

-49.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$25.64 KWD 7.87

-5.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$95.2 KWD 29.21

-72.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$46.63 KWD 14.30

-59.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.52 KWD 3.53

-65.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$410 KWD 126

-24.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,593 KWD 2,022

-9.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$41.82 KWD 12.83

40.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$43.33 KWD 13.29

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$87.2 KWD 26.74

17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$82.5 KWD 25.32

31.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$795 KWD 244

-40.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$617 KWD 189

-38.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,598 KWD 490

-47.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,303 KWD 400

-44.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ardiya: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $795 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 $83.0 in Ardiya. Groceries tell a different story – $188 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,033 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 8% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $410 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 $1,013, than in Ardiya at $1,355. 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 $1,013 versus $1,355 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.