Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buraydah

For one person, living is cheaper in Buraydah: $1,226 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Buraydah
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Buraydah Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Buraydah

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,226

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Buraydah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Buraydah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,226 in Buraydah, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Buraydah $1,226

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,036 in Buraydah, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Buraydah $2,036

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,845 in Buraydah, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Buraydah $2,845

Medellin costs about 34% more than Buraydah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Buraydah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$13.15 SAR 49.35

-38.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$39.53 SAR 148

19.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$7.99 SAR 29.99

18.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$3.54 SAR 13.27

-14.97%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$0.79 SAR 2.96

127.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$0.26 SAR 0.98

442.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-9.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$1.10 SAR 4.14

116.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-30.04%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$2.89 SAR 10.83

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$8.31 SAR 31.19

22.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$6.57 SAR 24.65

50.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

$13.54 SAR 50.8

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$2.28 SAR 8.57

74.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-15.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

$1.74 SAR 6.53

25.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

$1.75 SAR 6.58

24.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

$1.40 SAR 5.26

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

$1.30 SAR 4.88

22.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$1.05 SAR 3.94

9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

$0.67 SAR 2.52

85.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SAR 9.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$6.23 SAR 23.37

-36.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$1.08 SAR 4.05

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

$37.57 SAR 141

105.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-51.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-24.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$16.75 SAR 62.9

-48.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$0.59 SAR 2.22

128.81%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$42.2K SAR 158.4K

-19.29%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

50.98%

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$69.9 SAR 262

142.63%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$31.54 SAR 118

-57.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$70.1 SAR 263

-59.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$138 SAR 517

-68.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

$35.66 SAR 134

-51.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$15.09 SAR 56.6

-54.21%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$269 SAR 1,010

196.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$3,800 SAR 14.3K

139.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

$52.1 SAR 196

62.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

$54.4 SAR 204

6.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

$80.4 SAR 302

67.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

$70.9 SAR 266

38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$700 SAR 2,628

72.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$332 SAR 1,245

93.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$905 SAR 3,397

123.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$827 SAR 3,104

22.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

$1,949 SAR 7,314

113.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$1,335 SAR 5,009

43.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$2,467 SAR 9,257

-73.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.98

174.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Buraydah

$332 27.1% 48.3% $310

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Buraydah

$205 16.7% 31% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Buraydah

$172 14% 18.8% $40

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Buraydah

$176 14.3% 3.6% $6.2

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Buraydah

$116 9.5% 31.4% $53

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Buraydah

$58 4.7% 38% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Buraydah

$168 13.7% 192% $110

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $700 in Buraydah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Buraydah are about 3.8 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $40 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $205 – making Buraydah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇦 Buraydah

🕒 Local time

00:23 12:23 AM

08:23 8:23 AM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

467,410

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.19 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Buraydah 12,570 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Buraydah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Buraydah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 34% more than Buraydah, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,839 in Buraydah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buraydah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $700 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,226 in Buraydah. That makes Buraydah about 25% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Buraydah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,639 in Medellin and $1,226 in Buraydah. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Buraydah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Buraydah is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 25% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.