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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,073 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,678 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $2,283 in Jubail.

Living in Medellin is roughly 57% more expensive than in Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Jubail is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.76 SAR 25.40

18.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$39.39 SAR 148

21.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.01 SAR 33.82

9.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.95 SAR 14.84

-20.76%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.93 SAR 3.49

105.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.28 SAR 1.06

439.29%

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

$1.50 SAR 5.64

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.39 SAR 5.22

79.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.69 SAR 6.34

4.73%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.10 SAR 7.88

40.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.77 SAR 32.93

14.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.32 SAR 23.73

60.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.96 SAR 41.18

30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.25 SAR 8.45

84.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.74 SAR 6.53

-7.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.51 SAR 5.68

49.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.69 SAR 6.36

33.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.23 SAR 4.63

65.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.33 SAR 5.01

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.55 SAR 2.07

138.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.74 SAR 25.33

-42.14%

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

$1.31 SAR 4.93

-6.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$23.79 SAR 89.4

238.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.40 SAR 12.76

-61.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.66 SAR 9.99

-17.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$13.12 SAR 49.27

-33.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.65 SAR 2.44

110.77%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$44.6K SAR 167.5K

-37.59%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

69.65%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$79.9 SAR 300

121.99%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$28.01 SAR 105

-50.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$67.4 SAR 253

-55.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$100 SAR 376

-55.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$39.60 SAR 149

-56.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$13.20 SAR 49.56

-49.62%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$177 SAR 664

360.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,661 SAR 28.8K

19.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$42.67 SAR 160

109.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$59.6 SAR 224

-1.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$80.9 SAR 304

70.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$85.6 SAR 321

19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$437 SAR 1,642

142.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$301 SAR 1,132

120.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$647 SAR 2,430

191.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$532 SAR 1,998

93.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,775 SAR 10.4K

50.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,366 SAR 5,131

22.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,606 SAR 6,033

-57.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.62

94.66%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jubail: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $437 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 137% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $191 per month, with Jubail 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

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 137% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $437 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,073 in Jubail – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 238% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,073 in Jubail versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,073 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.