Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jizan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jizan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $914 in Jizan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,526 in Jizan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,137 in Jizan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 84% more than Jizan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Jizan is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$5.26 SAR 19.76

52.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$36.59 SAR 137

30.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.37 SAR 27.68

34.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.27 SAR 12.29

-4.28%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.77 SAR 2.89

148.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.26 SAR 0.97

480.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.97 SAR 3.64

156.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.25 SAR 8.44

-21.33%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.56 SAR 28.38

33.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.28 SAR 19.81

91.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.38 SAR 54.0

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.88 SAR 7.05

120.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.57 SAR 5.88

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.13 SAR 8.01

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.44 SAR 5.42

56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.41 SAR 5.31

44.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.50 SAR 5.62

2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.22 SAR 4.59

-4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.79 SAR 2.96

65.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.61 SAR 24.83

-41.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.09 SAR 4.09

11.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$23.60 SAR 88.6

241.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-51.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-34.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$15.73 SAR 59.1

-44.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.59 SAR 2.23

132.20%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$44.0K SAR 165.3K

-36.76%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$17.4K SAR 65.2K

106.03%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$105 SAR 394

69.08%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$37.02 SAR 139

-62.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$64.1 SAR 241

-53.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$97.0 SAR 364

-53.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$38.06 SAR 143

-55.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$16.17 SAR 60.8

-58.87%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$198 SAR 742

311.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,179 SAR 15.7K

119.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$33.14 SAR 124

170.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$53.7 SAR 202

9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$121 SAR 454

14.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$46.64 SAR 175

118.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$271 SAR 1,017

292.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$134 SAR 502

396.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$473 SAR 1,777

298.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$363 SAR 1,362

183.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$791 SAR 2,972

428.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,609 SAR 6,043

-57.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jizan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $271 in Jizan. 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 137% higher in Jizan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Jizan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $196 – making Jizan 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 Jizan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 84% more than Jizan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,372 in Jizan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jizan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $914 in Jizan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 241% less in Jizan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jizan, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Jizan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jizan costs $914 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Jizan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.