Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buraydah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buraydah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,198 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,959 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,720 in Buraydah, rent included.

Medellin is about 14% cheaper than Buraydah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Buraydah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Buraydah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$12.74 SAR 47.77

-53.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$39.99 SAR 150

-18.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$7.20 SAR 27.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$3.52 SAR 13.20

-51.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.75 SAR 2.80

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.26 SAR 0.97

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.06 SAR 3.96

17.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-43.50%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.60 SAR 9.74

-13.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$8.37 SAR 31.39

-48.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$6.85 SAR 25.67

-14.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$13.81 SAR 51.8

-36.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.57 SAR 9.63

-12.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.80 SAR 6.73

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.40 SAR 5.23

9.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-21.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.55 SAR 5.81

-27.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.12 SAR 4.20

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.69 SAR 2.59

31.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 SAR 9.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$6.53 SAR 24.49

-64.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$40.29 SAR 151

2.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$2.64 SAR 9.88

-45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.88 SAR 7.05

1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$16.40 SAR 61.5

-51.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.60 SAR 2.26

56.67%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$26.7K SAR 100.0K

-32.78%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

10.97%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$76.6 SAR 287

9.68%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$30.20 SAR 113

-68.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$69.6 SAR 261

-65.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$100 SAR 376

-74.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$36.17 SAR 136

-47.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$16.06 SAR 60.2

-75.59%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$267 SAR 1,002

14.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$3,766 SAR 14.1K

57.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$52.5 SAR 197

10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$73.3 SAR 275

-56.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$80.3 SAR 301

24.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$70.7 SAR 265

51.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$635 SAR 2,383

-23.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$334 SAR 1,253

10.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$757 SAR 2,839

9.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$790 SAR 2,961

-9.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,379 SAR 8,921

22.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,334 SAR 5,002

5.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$2,846 SAR 10.7K

-80.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.42

203.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $635 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 run about 422% higher in Buraydah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $206 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Buraydah costs about 16% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,797 in Buraydah. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,198 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Buraydah at $1,198. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buraydah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $1,198 in Buraydah. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buraydah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.