Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khafji

For one person, living is cheaper in Khafji: $674 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Khafji, Saudi Arabia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Khafji
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Khafji

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Khafji actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $674 in Khafji.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Khafji $674

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $1,058 in Khafji.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Khafji $1,058

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $1,443 in Khafji.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Khafji $1,443

Living in Medellin is roughly 143% more expensive than in Khafji, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Khafji is 51% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.4K
$3.24 SAR 12.15
149.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.0K
$34.45 SAR 129
36.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.9K
$4.96 SAR 18.62
91.53%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.91 SAR 3.40
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 SAR 5.93
-
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,485
$2.87 SAR 10.76
4.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,660
$0.79 SAR 2.95
127.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,443
$0.21 SAR 0.77
571.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,990
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,751
$1.75 SAR 6.56
-13.71%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,480
$1.27 SAR 4.78
87.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,573
$1.96 SAR 7.37
-9.69%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,093
$2.12 SAR 7.96
36.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.1K
$7.52 SAR 28.21
35.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.1K
$7.80 SAR 29.27
26.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.0K
$12.98 SAR 48.71
7.78%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.5K
$2.30 SAR 8.62
72.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,883
$1.66 SAR 6.22
-6.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,867
$1.64 SAR 6.14
32.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,870
$1.61 SAR 6.05
35.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,174
$1.11 SAR 4.17
76.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,000
$1.21 SAR 4.54
31.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,604
$1.28 SAR 4.81
-10.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,911
$0.59 SAR 2.21
110.17%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$4.25 SAR 15.96
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.49 SAR 5.60
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.16 SAR 8.12
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$7.68 SAR 28.83
-48.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,221
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,103
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,674
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,989
$2.74 SAR 10.27
-53.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,442
$2.64 SAR 9.89
-22.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.9K
$13.27 SAR 49.81
-35.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,237
$0.61 SAR 2.29
121.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.2M
$29.5K SAR 110.6K
15.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.1M
$21.4K SAR 80.5K
61.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 533.7K
$131 SAR 490
29.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.6K
$32.28 SAR 121
-58.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.3K
$62.6 SAR 235
-55.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.7K
$13.20 SAR 49.55
-47.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$136 SAR 511
485.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.7M
$3,927 SAR 14.7K
132.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 266.5K
$42.57 SAR 160
99.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 182.3K
$49.96 SAR 187
16.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 424.6K
$97.0 SAR 364
39.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 307.9K
$89.8 SAR 337
9.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$664 SAR 2,493
81.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.9
85.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Khafji: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Khafji
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Khafji
$201 32.3% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Khafji
$225 6.7% $14
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Khafji
$79 53.3% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Khafji
$126 25.6% $43
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Khafji
$16 * 83% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Khafji
$26 * 54.1% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $664 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $34 in Khafji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $201 per month, with Khafji cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇸🇦 Khafji
🕒 Local time
21:17 9:17 PM
05:17 5:17 AM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
67,012
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.18 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Khafji 12,900 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Khafji

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khafji cheaper than Medellin?
Khafji is about 59% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $1,010 in Khafji to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Khafji?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $664 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $136 in Khafji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Khafji?
Dining out is cheaper in Khafji – a meal for two runs $34 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Khafji?
At $674 in Khafji versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Khafji but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Khafji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Khafji?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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