Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hawalli Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Hawalli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,107 in Hawalli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,032 in Hawalli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $4,957 in Hawalli, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Hawalli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Hawalli are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Hawalli 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.84 KWD 1.50

27.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$68.7 KWD 21.29

-52.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.91 KWD 2.76

-17.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 KWD 1.02

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.42 KWD 1.37

-61.09%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.56 KWD 0.18

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.32 KWD 0.10

140.63%

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

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.25 KWD 0.39

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.77 KWD 0.55

-20.90%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.01 KWD 0.62

7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.29 KWD 1.02

33.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.24 KWD 1.00

81.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.67 KWD 1.76

52.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.37 KWD 0.73

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.96 KWD 0.61

-43.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.81 KWD 0.56

-15.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.50 KWD 0.47

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.22 KWD 0.38

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.30 KWD 0.40

-13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.67 KWD 0.52

-49.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.32 KWD 0.10

184.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.14 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.98 KWD 0.92

-21.48%

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

$0.79 KWD 0.24

6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$49.23 KWD 15.26

-17.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.20 KWD 0.99

-55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.17 KWD 0.98

-39.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$16.10 KWD 4.99

-52.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.37 KWD 0.11

167.57%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.5K KWD 6,657

-16.06%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.9K KWD 6,161

33.93%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$63.5 KWD 19.69

27.22%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.61 KWD 5.77

-46.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.20 KWD 8.12

-7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$49.82 KWD 15.44

-49.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$46.07 KWD 14.28

-58.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.93 KWD 3.08

-59.92%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$409 KWD 127

-25.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,711 KWD 2,080

-9.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$32.40 KWD 10.04

79.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.93 KWD 13.30

-24.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.5 KWD 27.12

15.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$83.0 KWD 25.71

29.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$580 KWD 180

-17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$489 KWD 152

-23.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$999 KWD 310

-15.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$3,212 KWD 995

-77.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,852 KWD 574

-66.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.14

88.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hawalli: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $580 in Hawalli. 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 200% higher in Hawalli, 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 $69.0 in Hawalli. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $141 in Hawalli – so Hawalli wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hawalli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,107 in Hawalli – roughly 7% apart. Hawalli costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,660 in Hawalli. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Hawalli – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $69.0 in Hawalli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Hawalli at $1,107. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hawalli it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $1,107 in Hawalli. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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