Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Doha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Doha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,003 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,069 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $4,134 in Doha, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Doha is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$6.77 QAR 24.64

-11.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$54.0 QAR 196

-39.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$6.78 QAR 24.69

4.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.40

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.98 QAR 18.14

-65.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.84 QAR 3.07

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.31 QAR 1.13

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-46.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.15 QAR 7.82

-35.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.62 QAR 9.55

-16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.34 QAR 41.26

-61.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$7.55 QAR 27.48

-25.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$10.43 QAR 37.97

-14.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.98 QAR 7.21

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.57 QAR 5.73

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.59 QAR 5.77

-5.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.45 QAR 5.26

-4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.98 QAR 3.57

17.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.07 QAR 3.88

8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.38 QAR 5.03

-35.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.46 QAR 1.66

82.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.27 QAR 30.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 QAR 10.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$6.47 QAR 23.53

-64.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.53 QAR 1.91

62.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$32.91 QAR 120

25.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$2.23 QAR 8.11

-34.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$2.22 QAR 8.07

-11.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$13.60 QAR 49.50

-43.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.59 QAR 2.16

61.02%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

-18.25%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

30.46%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$93.5 QAR 340

-12.01%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$37.48 QAR 136

-74.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$86.1 QAR 313

-71.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$120 QAR 436

-78.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$32.38 QAR 118

-41.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$12.20 QAR 44.41

-67.79%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$794 QAR 2,891

-61.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

-49.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$62.3 QAR 227

-5.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$54.6 QAR 199

-40.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$99.4 QAR 362

3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$90.2 QAR 328

20.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,609 QAR 5,857

-70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,094 QAR 3,983

-65.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

-71.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,079 QAR 7,567

-65.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

-37.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,709 QAR 9,860

-55.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

-83.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.08

120.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Doha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,609 in Doha. 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 508% higher in Doha, 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 $54.0 in Doha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $208 – 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 Doha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 98%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $3,004 in Doha. 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.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $794 in Doha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Doha at $2,003. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.