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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,054 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,650 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,247 in Jubail.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Jubail, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Jubail 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.74 SAR 25.30

-12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$39.37 SAR 148

-16.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.41 SAR 35.35

-21.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.94

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.34 SAR 12.55

-50.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.76 SAR 2.86

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.28 SAR 1.05

178.57%

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

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.99 SAR 3.70

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.51 SAR 9.44

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.19 SAR 30.74

-45.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.86 SAR 25.76

-15.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.08 SAR 41.61

-19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.31 SAR 8.68

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-36.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.58 SAR 5.92

-3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-3.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.12 SAR 4.19

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-36.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.60 SAR 2.24

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.26 SAR 27.27

-69.28%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.42

-6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$25.68 SAR 96.4

62.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.05 SAR 15.20

-64.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.82 SAR 6.84

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$16.99 SAR 63.8

-53.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.64 SAR 2.41

54.69%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

-10.56%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

10.47%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$102 SAR 381

-18.23%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$31.84 SAR 120

-69.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$64.4 SAR 242

-63.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$89.4 SAR 336

-71.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$35.40 SAR 133

-46.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$14.00 SAR 52.6

-71.79%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$202 SAR 757

56.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

-30.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$37.51 SAR 141

59.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$61.2 SAR 230

-48.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$84.6 SAR 318

20.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$80.4 SAR 302

33.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$403 SAR 1,514

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$273 SAR 1,025

37.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$636 SAR 2,390

33.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$497 SAR 1,868

44.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,545 SAR 9,556

28.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,317 SAR 4,945

9.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,627 SAR 6,109

-61.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jubail: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 160% 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 $39.00 in Jubail. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $191, with Jubail 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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 5% 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 160% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $403 in Jubail. 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 $1,054 in Jubail – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 62% less than in Jubail. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,054 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 $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and 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 5% less than in Jubail. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.