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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,212 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,961 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,711 in Buraydah, rent included.

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than Buraydah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Buraydah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Buraydah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$12.70 SAR 47.69

-53.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$39.24 SAR 147

-16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.22 SAR 27.11

2.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.68 SAR 13.81

-55.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.74 SAR 2.76

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.28 SAR 1.06

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.05 SAR 3.93

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.45 SAR 9.20

-43.67%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.51 SAR 9.44

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.53 SAR 32.03

-47.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.63 SAR 24.90

-12.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.90 SAR 52.2

-35.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.57 SAR 9.66

-9.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-41.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.40 SAR 5.26

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.74 SAR 6.53

-21.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.42 SAR 5.32

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.54 SAR 5.79

-24.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.16 SAR 4.36

-22.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.70 SAR 2.61

28.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SAR 9.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.26 SAR 23.51

-64.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$39.27 SAR 147

5.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.67 SAR 10.04

-46.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.91 SAR 7.19

2.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$16.48 SAR 61.9

-52.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.63 SAR 2.37

57.14%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

-33.57%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.2K SAR 90.7K

10.96%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$77.9 SAR 293

6.53%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$30.14 SAR 113

-67.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$71.6 SAR 269

-67.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$101 SAR 380

-75.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$36.35 SAR 137

-47.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$15.67 SAR 58.9

-74.79%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$267 SAR 1,003

18.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,749 SAR 14.1K

59.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$52.0 SAR 195

15.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$72.8 SAR 274

-56.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$80.5 SAR 302

26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$70.8 SAR 266

51.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$637 SAR 2,393

-25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$343 SAR 1,289

8.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$751 SAR 2,818

13.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$786 SAR 2,953

-8.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,399 SAR 9,009

36.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,357 SAR 5,095

6.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$2,555 SAR 9,594

-75.56%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $637 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 309% 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 $39.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 21% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,817 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,212 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% 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 $1,003, than in Buraydah at $1,212. 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 $1,003 versus $1,212 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.