Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,341 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,298 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,255 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while As-salimiyah is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$11.18 KWD 3.44

-28.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$57.3 KWD 17.62

-16.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$8.00 KWD 2.46

23.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.48

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.10 KWD 1.57

-38.63%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.76 KWD 0.23

151.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.31 KWD 0.10

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.29 KWD 0.40

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.74 KWD 0.23

236.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-9.69%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.13 KWD 0.66

38.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$4.50 KWD 1.38

123.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$5.43 KWD 1.67

86.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.99 KWD 3.07

43.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.06 KWD 0.63

100.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.59 KWD 0.49

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.31 KWD 0.40

71.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.50 KWD 0.46

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.36 KWD 0.42

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.83 KWD 0.25

85.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-27.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.47 KWD 0.14

178.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.70 KWD 0.83

44.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.02 KWD 0.31

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$47.74 KWD 14.67

68.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.18 KWD 0.98

-58.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-33.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$16.08 KWD 4.94

-45.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.35 KWD 0.11

291.43%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$21.0K KWD 6,444

32.73%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$20.1K KWD 6,190

77.60%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$32.90 KWD 10.11

438.91%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$20.79 KWD 6.39

-33.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$30.09 KWD 9.25

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$95.3 KWD 29.29

-52.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$65.8 KWD 20.21

-73.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.26 KWD 3.46

-40.94%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$275 KWD 84.5

195.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$6,451 KWD 1,982

42.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$38.37 KWD 11.79

133.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$38.85 KWD 11.94

51.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$89.4 KWD 27.49

54.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$65.7 KWD 20.18

55.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$894 KWD 275

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$632 KWD 194

4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,757 KWD 540

7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,389 KWD 427

-26.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,785 KWD 856

-75.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.53

67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $894 in As-salimiyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 311% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $57.0 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $158 in As-salimiyah – so As-salimiyah 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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,011 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,341 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,341, than in Medellin at $1,681. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – 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 As-salimiyah. 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.