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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,944 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,080 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $4,216 in Doha, rent included.

Medellin is about 47% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Doha is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.76 QAR 24.61

-8.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$54.0 QAR 197

-39.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.96 QAR 25.35

5.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.97 QAR 18.10

-65.39%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.86 QAR 3.13

22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.33 QAR 1.20

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-48.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.64 QAR 5.95

-20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.20 QAR 8.01

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.67 QAR 9.70

-19.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.57 QAR 42.12

-62.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.91 QAR 28.80

-25.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.73 QAR 39.04

-19.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.03 QAR 7.40

12.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.62 QAR 5.91

-31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.53 QAR 5.56

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.39 QAR 5.06

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.03 QAR 3.77

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.12 QAR 4.07

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.34 QAR 4.86

-36.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.48 QAR 1.75

89.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.35 QAR 23.12

-63.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.57 QAR 2.08

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$32.81 QAR 119

23.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.24 QAR 8.15

-36.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.13 QAR 7.77

-9.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.68 QAR 49.81

-44.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.59 QAR 2.15

67.80%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

-18.85%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

30.41%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$93.4 QAR 340

-13.49%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$37.55 QAR 137

-73.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$88.7 QAR 323

-72.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$120 QAR 435

-79.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$31.64 QAR 115

-39.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$12.46 QAR 45.34

-68.06%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$802 QAR 2,918

-61.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

-47.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$61.1 QAR 223

-4.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$55.1 QAR 200

-41.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$100 QAR 365

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$90.2 QAR 328

19.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,638 QAR 5,963

-70.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,064 QAR 3,872

-64.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

-70.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,098 QAR 7,636

-65.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

-23.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,509 QAR 9,134

-45.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

-80.28%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,638 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 407% 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: $193 vs $212 – 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 89%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,916 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 24% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $802 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 $1,031, than in Doha at $1,944. 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.