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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,050 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,650 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,251 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 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.48 SAR 24.31

-8.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$40.19 SAR 151

-18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.29 SAR 34.84

-22.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.39 SAR 12.71

-49.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.83 SAR 3.10

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.26 SAR 0.97

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-40.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.98 SAR 3.68

27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-14.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.52 SAR 9.44

-10.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.20 SAR 30.76

-47.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.89 SAR 25.85

-15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.19 SAR 41.96

-21.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.58 SAR 5.91

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-4.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.12 SAR 4.20

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-13.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-38.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.64 SAR 2.39

42.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.02 SAR 26.33

-66.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.97 SAR 3.63

-18.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$25.13 SAR 94.2

63.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.08 SAR 15.32

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.85 SAR 6.94

3.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$17.01 SAR 63.8

-52.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.63 SAR 2.37

49.21%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

-11.47%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

10.68%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$98.8 SAR 371

-15.03%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$31.97 SAR 120

-69.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$65.1 SAR 244

-62.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$88.0 SAR 330

-70.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$35.90 SAR 135

-46.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.89 SAR 52.1

-71.78%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$202 SAR 759

51.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

-29.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$38.63 SAR 145

49.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$62.2 SAR 233

-48.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$83.4 SAR 313

19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$79.4 SAR 298

35.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$403 SAR 1,513

20.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$277 SAR 1,039

32.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$655 SAR 2,456

26.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$505 SAR 1,892

41.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,522 SAR 9,458

15.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,316 SAR 4,934

6.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,602 SAR 6,008

-65.95%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 194% 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 $191 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, Jubail earns 194% less. 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: $487 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,050 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 64% less than in Jubail. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,050 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 $1,034 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.