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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $690 in Budaiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,140 in Budaiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,591 in Budaiya.

Living in Medellin is roughly 45% more expensive than in Budaiya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Budaiya 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.29 BHD 1.99

11.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$53.6 BHD 20.22

-38.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.16 BHD 2.70

3.77%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.03 BHD 1.90

-67.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.83 BHD 0.31

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.26 BHD 0.10

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$7.89 BHD 2.97

-78.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$10.50 BHD 3.96

-69.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.66 BHD 0.63

-33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.33 BHD 0.50

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.21 BHD 0.46

14.05%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.61 BHD 0.61

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$2.58 BHD 0.97

74.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.90 BHD 2.98

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$3.92 BHD 1.48

128.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.43 BHD 0.92

-4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.03 BHD 0.77

-47.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.74 BHD 0.66

-12.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.09 BHD 0.41

24.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.78 BHD 0.29

44.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.08 BHD 0.41

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.36 BHD 0.51

-33.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.56 BHD 0.21

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.71 BHD 2.15

-60.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$13.35 BHD 5.03

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.68 BHD 0.63

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.75 BHD 0.66

41.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.70 BHD 1.02

-47.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.70 BHD 1.02

-27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$27.03 BHD 10.19

-70.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.36 BHD 0.13

175.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

-53.22%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.6K BHD 7,750

30.33%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$89.1 BHD 33.56

-6.78%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$27.18 BHD 10.24

-64.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$27.00 BHD 10.18

-12.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.81 BHD 2.94

-49.42%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$382 BHD 144

-17.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,768 BHD 3,305

-31.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$46.77 BHD 17.63

28.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$63.8 BHD 24.05

-50.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$83.3 BHD 31.41

21.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$87.3 BHD 32.92

23.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Budaiya: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Budaiya. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $192, 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 45% 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 $1,504 in Medellin and $1,035 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 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $690 in Budaiya – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $690 in Budaiya versus $1,003 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 $690 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 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.