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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jeddah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$6.54 SAR 24.53

-8.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$40.72 SAR 153

-19.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-13.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$3.58 SAR 13.45

-52.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.70 SAR 2.64

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.25 SAR 0.94

212.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.96 SAR 3.58

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.30 SAR 8.61

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.75 SAR 10.34

-20.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-40.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$7.64 SAR 28.69

-26.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$12.34 SAR 46.33

-27.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.16 SAR 8.13

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.57 SAR 5.90

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.54 SAR 5.78

-10.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-12.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.21 SAR 4.54

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.60 SAR 2.23

40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$6.76 SAR 25.37

-66.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-36.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$39.64 SAR 149

4.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$3.23 SAR 12.13

-54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.88 SAR 7.07

4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.63 SAR 2.37

50.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

-32.64%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

23.64%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$105 SAR 393

-21.53%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$32.31 SAR 121

-70.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$70.1 SAR 263

-65.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$90.9 SAR 341

-71.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$45.17 SAR 170

-57.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.12 SAR 49.26

-70.05%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$400 SAR 1,500

-22.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

-6.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$64.6 SAR 242

-9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$58.1 SAR 218

-44.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$92.5 SAR 347

10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$84.4 SAR 317

28.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$501 SAR 1,881

-4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$390 SAR 1,464

-2.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$899 SAR 3,375

-6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$618 SAR 2,321

17.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,625 SAR 6,100

71.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,014 SAR 3,805

19.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,657 SAR 6,219

-69.11%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $501 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 224% 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 $41.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,202 in Jeddah – roughly 19% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,803 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 $41.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,202 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 $1,013, than in Jeddah at $1,202. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,202 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.