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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,323 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,196 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,069 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 22% less than in Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Janub-as-surrah 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.54 KWD 2.31

-21.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$58.7 KWD 18.02

-44.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.42 KWD 2.58

-14.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.25 KWD 1.61

-67.62%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.59 KWD 0.18

86.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.33 KWD 0.10

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.04 KWD 0.32

20.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-15.24%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.06 KWD 0.63

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.46 KWD 1.37

-2.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.67 KWD 2.05

-12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.81 KWD 3.01

-9.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.31 KWD 0.71

-3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-32.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.57 KWD 0.48

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.21 KWD 0.37

-6.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.14 KWD 0.35

-1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-47.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.43 KWD 0.13

111.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.91 KWD 0.89

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.85 KWD 0.26

-7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$44.82 KWD 13.76

-8.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-56.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-40.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$16.11 KWD 4.95

-50.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.34 KWD 0.10

176.47%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.7K KWD 6,349

-13.34%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.0K KWD 5,822

41.26%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$62.4 KWD 19.15

34.59%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.21 KWD 5.59

-47.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.33 KWD 7.78

-4.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$93.5 KWD 28.69

-72.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$46.37 KWD 14.23

-58.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$11.46 KWD 3.52

-65.79%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$278 KWD 85.5

10.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,984 KWD 1,837

-1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.32 KWD 12.99

36.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.41 KWD 13.02

-24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$87.1 KWD 26.75

14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$80.2 KWD 24.63

33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$800 KWD 245

-39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$616 KWD 189

-40.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,565 KWD 480

-47.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,311 KWD 403

-45.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $800 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Janub-as-surrah. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $167, 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 28% 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 $1,550 in Medellin and $1,985 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: $487 in Medellin versus $800 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,323 in Janub-as-surrah – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 9% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,323 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 $1,034 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 28% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.