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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,184 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,991 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,797 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 24% lower, Buraydah 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$12.42 SAR 46.59

-52.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$40.45 SAR 152

-17.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.16 SAR 26.88

0.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.69 SAR 13.85

-55.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.79 SAR 2.95

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.26 SAR 0.97

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.08 SAR 4.05

19.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.51 SAR 9.41

-47.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-13.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.53 SAR 32.00

-49.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.61 SAR 24.79

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.69 SAR 51.4

-37.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-11.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-40.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.45 SAR 5.45

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-14.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-19.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.17 SAR 4.38

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.65 SAR 2.45

38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 SAR 6.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SAR 9.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.56 SAR 24.63

-65.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-22.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$40.40 SAR 152

3.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-47.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.85 SAR 6.95

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$16.84 SAR 63.2

-53.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.65 SAR 2.42

55.38%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

-33.60%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.3K SAR 91.0K

9.23%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$75.8 SAR 284

10.40%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$30.31 SAR 114

-68.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$69.7 SAR 261

-65.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$101 SAR 380

-75.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$36.15 SAR 136

-47.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$16.04 SAR 60.2

-74.44%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$267 SAR 1,002

16.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,775 SAR 14.2K

58.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$52.1 SAR 196

11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$72.3 SAR 271

-54.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$82.3 SAR 309

21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$72.4 SAR 272

49.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$631 SAR 2,368

-23.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$343 SAR 1,287

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$760 SAR 2,851

10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$784 SAR 2,943

-7.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,360 SAR 8,854

20.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,335 SAR 5,008

-8.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,829 SAR 10.6K

-80.88%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $631 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 423% 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 $205 – 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,776 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,184 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% 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 $1,017, than in Buraydah at $1,184. 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 $1,017 versus $1,184 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.