πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,672 in Dukhan.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,284 in Dukhan.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,895 in Dukhan.
πLiving in Medellin costs roughly 38% less than in Dukhan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
πThe two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Dukhan is 25% above.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COPΒ 21.4K
$6.71QARΒ 24.43
-11.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COPΒ 118.2K
$55.3QARΒ 201
-40.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COPΒ 26.0K
$6.74QARΒ 24.53
6.82%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$11.66QARΒ 42.44
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$11.10QARΒ 40.42
-
Cappuccino
$1.70COPΒ 6,140
$5.22QARΒ 18.99
-67.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COPΒ 3,966
$0.80QARΒ 2.93
37.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COPΒ 2,605
$0.33QARΒ 1.21
118.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COPΒ 6,022
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COPΒ 11.2K
-
-
π Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COPΒ 3,809
$2.12QARΒ 7.71
-50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COPΒ 4,497
$1.62QARΒ 5.91
-22.84%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COPΒ 5,022
$2.19QARΒ 7.96
-36.53%
Eggs
$2.26COPΒ 8,168
$2.65QARΒ 9.64
-14.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COPΒ 15.6K
$11.71QARΒ 42.64
-63.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COPΒ 21.1K
$7.72QARΒ 28.10
-24.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COPΒ 31.9K
$10.45QARΒ 38.05
-15.50%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COPΒ 8,099
$1.96QARΒ 7.14
14.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COPΒ 3,882
$1.61QARΒ 5.87
-32.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COPΒ 5,522
$1.51QARΒ 5.50
1.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COPΒ 4,950
$1.44QARΒ 5.25
-4.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COPΒ 4,078
$1.03QARΒ 3.74
9.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COPΒ 4,036
$1.07QARΒ 3.91
4.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COPΒ 3,057
$1.33QARΒ 4.84
-36.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COPΒ 3,281
$0.48QARΒ 1.76
89.58%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$9.81QARΒ 35.70
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.85QARΒ 6.73
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.03QARΒ 11.02
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COPΒ 8,414
$6.16QARΒ 22.42
-62.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COPΒ 40.2K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COPΒ 4,309
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COPΒ 8,553
-
-
π Getting Around
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COPΒ 2,838
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COPΒ 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COPΒ 5,184
$2.26QARΒ 8.23
-36.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COPΒ 6,901
$2.14QARΒ 7.80
-10.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COPΒ 28.9K
$13.49QARΒ 49.09
-40.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COPΒ 3,385
$0.57QARΒ 2.06
64.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOPΒ 64.7M
$22.2KQARΒ 81.0K
-19.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOPΒ 96.7M
$20.2KQARΒ 73.6K
32.48%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COPΒ 303.1K
$91.2QARΒ 332
-7.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COPΒ 34.7K
$37.41QARΒ 136
-74.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COPΒ 87.2K
$88.1QARΒ 321
-72.57%
π Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COPΒ 93.4K
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COPΒ 68.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COPΒ 14.1K
$12.52QARΒ 45.57
-68.69%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COPΒ 1.1M
$806QARΒ 2,933
-61.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COPΒ 21.4M
$11.9KQARΒ 43.2K
-50.11%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COPΒ 209.1K
$62.6QARΒ 228
-7.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COPΒ 114.9K
$54.9QARΒ 200
-42.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COPΒ 360.6K
$101QARΒ 369
-1.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COPΒ 386.8K
$91.2QARΒ 332
17.48%
π Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COPΒ 1.8M
$1,394QARΒ 5,073
-65.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COPΒ 1.3M
$916QARΒ 3,335
-59.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COPΒ 3.0M
$1,754QARΒ 6,384
-52.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COPΒ 2.6M
$1,154QARΒ 4,202
-37.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COPΒ 10.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COPΒ 5.1M
-
-
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Dukhan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COPΒ 2.0M
$4,016QARΒ 14.6K
-86.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
6.08
120.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Last update for Dukhan: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,394 in Dukhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
π°Dukhan pays 636% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
πDining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $55.0 in Dukhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $211 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
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 Dukhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Dukhan?
Medellin and Dukhan differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,672 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable β a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Dukhan earns 636% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Dukhan?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $1,394 in Dukhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Dukhan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Dukhan?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,672 in Dukhan β a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,672 in Dukhan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Dukhan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Dukhan?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better β the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Medellin or Dukhan safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Dukhan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Dukhan?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet β expenses run 62% less than in Dukhan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.