Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jubail Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jubail

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,049 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,657 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $2,264 in Jubail.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 2% less than in Jubail, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Jubail 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$6.59 SAR 24.74

-8.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$39.56 SAR 148

-16.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$9.35 SAR 35.10

-20.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$3.23 SAR 12.14

-48.92%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.78 SAR 2.92

37.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.26 SAR 0.97

192.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.01 SAR 3.78

29.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.61 SAR 6.03

-16.77%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$8.20 SAR 30.76

-46.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$6.89 SAR 25.86

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$10.98 SAR 41.21

-22.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-32.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.58 SAR 5.93

-3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.35 SAR 5.08

1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.18 SAR 4.44

-2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.34 SAR 5.03

-11.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-40.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.60 SAR 2.26

43.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$7.26 SAR 27.25

-68.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.91 SAR 3.43

-13.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$26.04 SAR 97.7

56.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$4.09 SAR 15.36

-64.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.86 SAR 6.97

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$17.44 SAR 65.5

-55.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.59 SAR 2.23

71.19%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$19.9K SAR 74.6K

-11.19%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$24.1K SAR 90.6K

9.65%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$98.4 SAR 369

-17.60%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$31.88 SAR 120

-70.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$65.1 SAR 244

-63.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$88.0 SAR 330

-70.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$35.61 SAR 134

-47.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$14.00 SAR 52.6

-70.79%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$205 SAR 770

53.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$8,430 SAR 31.6K

-28.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$38.03 SAR 143

56.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$62.8 SAR 236

-49.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$81.7 SAR 307

23.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$78.4 SAR 294

34.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$406 SAR 1,525

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$278 SAR 1,044

31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$639 SAR 2,400

29.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$493 SAR 1,850

48.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,528 SAR 9,487

18.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,314 SAR 4,932

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,593 SAR 5,980

-65.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.33

151.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Jubail: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $406 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 189% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $40.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Jubail. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 189% lower in Jubail. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Medellin versus $406 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $1,049 in Jubail – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 57% less than in Jubail. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,049 in Jubail, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Jubail. 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 $1,028 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Jubail 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 2% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.