Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Janub-as-surrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Janub-as-surrah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,340 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,242 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,144 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 24% less than in Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Janub-as-surrah is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.91 KWD 2.43

-24.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$58.3 KWD 17.90

-42.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.56 KWD 2.63

-15.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 KWD 1.04

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.42 KWD 1.67

-69.93%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.59 KWD 0.18

84.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.34 KWD 0.10

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.05 KWD 0.32

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.73 KWD 0.53

-23.70%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.04 KWD 0.63

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.58 KWD 1.41

-5.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.60 KWD 2.03

-10.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.83 KWD 3.02

-12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.34 KWD 0.72

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.53 KWD 0.47

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.38 KWD 0.42

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.29 KWD 0.40

-9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.10 KWD 0.34

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-45.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 KWD 0.14

95.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.98 KWD 0.92

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$44.03 KWD 13.53

-4.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-41.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$16.02 KWD 4.92

-51.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.37 KWD 0.11

172.97%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.4K KWD 6,253

-13.63%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.3K KWD 5,938

37.08%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$61.8 KWD 18.98

35.43%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.14 KWD 5.57

-47.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.02 KWD 7.99

-7.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$94.9 KWD 29.17

-73.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$46.92 KWD 14.41

-59.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$11.59 KWD 3.56

-64.62%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$285 KWD 87.4

9.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,089 KWD 1,871

-1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$42.26 KWD 12.98

37.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.27 KWD 12.98

-22.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$87.2 KWD 26.79

14.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$81.6 KWD 25.07

33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$805 KWD 247

-40.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$604 KWD 185

-37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,555 KWD 478

-46.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,274 KWD 391

-43.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $805 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $58.0 in Janub-as-surrah. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $169, with Janub-as-surrah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Janub-as-surrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Janub-as-surrah. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $2,009 in Janub-as-surrah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $805 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,340 in Janub-as-surrah – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 5% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,340 in Janub-as-surrah, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Janub-as-surrah. 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 $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Janub-as-surrah 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 32% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.