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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,355 in Janub-as-surrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,250 in Janub-as-surrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,146 in Janub-as-surrah.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 26% less than in Janub-as-surrah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Janub-as-surrah is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$7.80 KWD 2.40

-24.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$58.9 KWD 18.11

-44.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.39 KWD 2.58

-11.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KWD 0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 KWD 1.08

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.50 KWD 1.69

-70.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.63 KWD 0.20

74.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.34 KWD 0.10

129.41%

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

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.05 KWD 0.32

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.71 KWD 0.53

-19.30%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.96 KWD 0.60

11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.56 KWD 1.40

-1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.52 KWD 2.01

-11.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.95 KWD 3.06

-9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.31 KWD 0.71

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-36.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.57 KWD 0.48

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.40 KWD 0.43

-2.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.23 KWD 0.38

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.13 KWD 0.35

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.67 KWD 0.51

-46.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.46 KWD 0.14

95.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.69 KWD 1.13

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.98 KWD 0.92

-25.17%

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

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-3.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$44.22 KWD 13.60

-5.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.19 KWD 0.98

-55.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.21 KWD 0.99

-39.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$16.47 KWD 5.07

-52.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.36 KWD 0.11

175.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.7K KWD 6,379

-15.13%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$18.9K KWD 5,800

42.13%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$61.4 KWD 18.88

35.22%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.27 KWD 5.62

-46.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$26.12 KWD 8.03

-9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$94.4 KWD 29.04

-73.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$45.74 KWD 14.07

-58.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$11.54 KWD 3.55

-65.77%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$278 KWD 85.4

13.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,190 KWD 1,904

-3.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$42.97 KWD 13.22

39.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$42.65 KWD 13.12

-25.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$86.3 KWD 26.54

17.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$83.1 KWD 25.56

29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$791 KWD 243

-39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$622 KWD 191

-39.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,596 KWD 491

-46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,307 KWD 402

-44.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $791 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 $193 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 35% 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 $1,504 in Medellin and $2,032 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: $475 in Medellin versus $791 in Janub-as-surrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,355 in Janub-as-surrah – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 6% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,355 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 $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and 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 35% less than in Janub-as-surrah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.