Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ha'il Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ha'il

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Ha'il.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,491 in Ha'il.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,940 in Ha'il.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 4% less than in Ha'il, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ha'il 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.57 SAR 24.68

-10.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$25.76 SAR 96.8

27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.13 SAR 26.76

4.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.27 SAR 12.26

-49.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.01 SAR 3.78

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.32 SAR 1.20

143.75%

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

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.81 SAR 3.03

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.91 SAR 7.18

-27.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.95 SAR 7.31

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.63 SAR 24.89

-32.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$8.92 SAR 33.48

-35.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.48 SAR 31.86

5.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.55 SAR 5.83

49.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.52 SAR 5.69

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.26 SAR 4.72

20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-32.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.34 SAR 5.04

-15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.56 SAR 5.85

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.49 SAR 1.85

83.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.02 SAR 26.34

-68.23%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-21.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$39.94 SAR 150

4.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-47.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.82 SAR 6.83

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$13.09 SAR 49.14

-39.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.59 SAR 2.23

67.80%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$27.2K SAR 102.0K

-35.22%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

17.96%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$54.0 SAR 203

53.75%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$21.59 SAR 81.1

-55.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$46.03 SAR 173

-48.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$66.3 SAR 249

-61.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$36.21 SAR 136

-47.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$14.70 SAR 55.2

-73.13%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$352 SAR 1,320

-10.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,085 SAR 26.6K

-15.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.2 SAR 222

1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$60.4 SAR 227

-47.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$77.9 SAR 292

30.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$80.6 SAR 303

33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$498 SAR 1,871

-4.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$330 SAR 1,241

13.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$440 SAR 1,651

93.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$361 SAR 1,355

99.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,366 SAR 8,885

38.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,332 SAR 5,001

8.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,064 SAR 3,994

-41.29%

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 Ha'il: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $498 in Ha'il. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ha'il pays 70% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Ha'il for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $180 per month, with Ha'il 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 Ha'il: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Ha'il. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Ha'il. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $498 in Ha'il. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $352 in Ha'il. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ha'il pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Ha'il, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ha'il. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ha'il are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ha'il. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.