Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,218 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,846 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,474 in Jeddah, rent included.

Medellin is about 15% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.51 SAR 24.46

-5.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$39.65 SAR 149

-17.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.80 SAR 29.29

-5.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.78 SAR 14.20

-54.50%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.70 SAR 2.64

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.25 SAR 0.94

208.00%

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

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.94 SAR 3.53

38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-37.22%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.63 SAR 9.88

-17.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.42 SAR 27.86

-40.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.77 SAR 29.19

-24.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.38 SAR 46.50

-30.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.18 SAR 8.19

4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.54 SAR 5.80

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-14.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.10 SAR 4.15

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 SAR 2.07

65.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.79 SAR 25.51

-65.54%

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

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-35.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.89 SAR 150

1.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.17 SAR 11.89

-55.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.85 SAR 6.94

3.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-49.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.60 SAR 2.24

65.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-31.77%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

24.96%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$108 SAR 406

-25.24%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$32.30 SAR 121

-69.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$69.6 SAR 261

-65.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$91.1 SAR 342

-72.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$45.14 SAR 170

-57.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$13.21 SAR 49.62

-69.87%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$407 SAR 1,527

-24.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

-5.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$62.7 SAR 235

-7.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$57.9 SAR 217

-44.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$94.9 SAR 356

6.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$83.8 SAR 315

28.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$507 SAR 1,903

-5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$384 SAR 1,442

-2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$904 SAR 3,395

-6.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$601 SAR 2,256

21.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,646 SAR 6,179

95.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,015 SAR 3,812

35.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,660 SAR 6,233

-62.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $507 in Jeddah. 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 169% higher in Jeddah, 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 $40.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $196 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,218 in Jeddah – roughly 18% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,827 in Jeddah. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Jeddah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,218 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Jeddah at $1,218. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah 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 $1,218 in Jeddah. 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, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.