Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Budaiya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Budaiya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $670 in Budaiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,135 in Budaiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,600 in Budaiya.

Living in Medellin is roughly 52% more expensive than Budaiya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Budaiya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.28 BHD 1.99

12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$52.9 BHD 19.92

-36.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.12 BHD 2.68

1.54%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.90 BHD 1.85

-66.73%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.82 BHD 0.31

32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.28 BHD 0.11

160.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$7.83 BHD 2.95

-77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$10.42 BHD 3.93

-69.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.72 BHD 0.65

-38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.29 BHD 0.49

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.17 BHD 0.44

12.82%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.56 BHD 0.59

45.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.63 BHD 0.99

65.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.56 BHD 2.85

-22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.90 BHD 1.47

120.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.38 BHD 0.90

-5.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.10 BHD 0.79

-49.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.67 BHD 0.63

-8.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.08 BHD 0.41

31.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.79 BHD 0.30

48.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.07 BHD 0.40

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.31 BHD 0.49

-32.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.54 BHD 0.21

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.78 BHD 2.18

-61.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$13.05 BHD 4.92

-15.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.69 BHD 0.64

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.75 BHD 0.66

36.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.73 BHD 1.03

-48.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.61 BHD 0.98

-27.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$26.78 BHD 10.10

-71.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.38 BHD 0.14

165.79%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$37.1K BHD 14.0K

-52.68%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.4K BHD 7,688

29.88%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$88.5 BHD 33.34

-5.39%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$27.19 BHD 10.25

-65.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$27.05 BHD 10.19

-10.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.08 BHD 3.05

-49.26%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$393 BHD 148

-20.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,922 BHD 3,363

-32.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.41 BHD 17.11

27.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$62.6 BHD 23.58

-47.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$84.7 BHD 31.92

17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$87.3 BHD 32.92

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.56

56.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Budaiya: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $53.0 in Budaiya. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $189, with Budaiya cheaper for home cooking.

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 Budaiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budaiya wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Budaiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,005 in Budaiya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $670 in Budaiya – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Budaiya versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Budaiya but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Budaiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Budaiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $670 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budaiya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Budaiya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Budaiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.