Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khafji Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khafji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,030 in Medellin versus $1,186 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,822 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,457 in Khafji.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 13% less than in Khafji, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Khafji 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 COPΒ 21.2K
$3.12 SARΒ 11.71
89.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.17 COPΒ 118.7K
$53.6 SARΒ 201
-38.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.25 COPΒ 25.9K
$4.95 SARΒ 18.57
46.46%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.95 SARΒ 3.58
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 SARΒ 5.93
-
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,137
$2.86 SARΒ 10.71
-40.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,915
$0.84 SARΒ 3.14
29.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COPΒ 2,743
$0.38 SARΒ 1.42
102.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.75 COPΒ 6,254
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 COPΒ 11.4K
-
-
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,792
$1.71 SARΒ 6.41
-38.01%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COPΒ 4,657
$1.39 SARΒ 5.22
-6.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,926
$2.12 SARΒ 7.95
-34.91%
Eggs
$2.21 COPΒ 7,908
$2.21 SARΒ 8.28
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.52 COPΒ 16.2K
$6.09 SARΒ 22.83
-25.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.80 COPΒ 20.7K
$7.42 SARΒ 27.81
-21.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.97 COPΒ 32.1K
$9.86 SARΒ 36.99
-9.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 COPΒ 8,182
$2.20 SARΒ 8.26
4.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,791
$1.55 SARΒ 5.80
-31.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 COPΒ 5,411
$1.43 SARΒ 5.38
5.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.36 COPΒ 4,869
$1.65 SARΒ 6.20
-17.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,146
$1.28 SARΒ 4.81
-9.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 COPΒ 4,174
$1.34 SARΒ 5.04
-12.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 COPΒ 2,960
$1.31 SARΒ 4.93
-36.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 COPΒ 3,043
$0.55 SARΒ 2.06
54.55%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$4.21 SARΒ 15.78
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.63 SARΒ 6.12
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.02 SARΒ 7.57
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.35 COPΒ 8,423
$7.81 SARΒ 29.30
-69.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.09 COPΒ 39.7K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,133
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,853
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COPΒ 2,827
$1.06 SARΒ 3.97
-25.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.85 COPΒ 149.8K
$40.63 SARΒ 152
3.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COPΒ 5,140
$3.27 SARΒ 12.28
-55.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 COPΒ 6,793
$1.85 SARΒ 6.94
2.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.70 COPΒ 27.6K
$13.39 SARΒ 50.2
-42.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 COPΒ 3,680
$0.60 SARΒ 2.25
71.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7K COPΒ 63.3M
$22.9K SARΒ 85.9K
-22.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K COPΒ 96.7M
$21.1K SARΒ 79.0K
28.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 COPΒ 291.4K
$117 SARΒ 440
-30.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.42 COPΒ 33.7K
$38.81 SARΒ 146
-75.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.77 COPΒ 85.1K
$63.5 SARΒ 238
-62.55%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.86 COPΒ 92.6K
$89.2 SARΒ 334
-71.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.34 COPΒ 69.2K
$35.37 SARΒ 133
-45.32%
Cinema Ticket
$4.05 COPΒ 14.5K
$15.45 SARΒ 57.9
-73.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$312 COPΒ 1.1M
$134 SARΒ 501
133.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,067 COPΒ 21.7M
$3,949 SARΒ 14.8K
53.63%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.9 COPΒ 210.7K
$68.5 SARΒ 257
-14.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.82 COPΒ 117.5K
$67.3 SARΒ 253
-51.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 COPΒ 359.6K
$90.3 SARΒ 339
11.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 COPΒ 380.3K
$85.9 SARΒ 322
23.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$490 COPΒ 1.8M
$441 SARΒ 1,652
11.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$371 COPΒ 1.3M
$374 SARΒ 1,403
-0.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$840 SARΒ 3,151
-0.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$715 COPΒ 2.6M
$623 SARΒ 2,334
14.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,952 COPΒ 10.6M
$2,657 SARΒ 9,965
11.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,394 COPΒ 5.0M
$1,376 SARΒ 5,159
1.32%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Khafji
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$532 COPΒ 1.9M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
4.33
210.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Khafji: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $441 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Medellin vs $54 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $186, with Khafji 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 Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khafji cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,544 in Medellin and $1,779 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: $490 in Medellin versus $441 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Khafji?
All in, you'll spend $1,030 per month in Medellin versus $1,186 in Khafji – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 3% less than in Khafji. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Khafji?
At $1,030 in Medellin versus $1,186 in Khafji, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Khafji. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Khafji more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Khafji, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Khafji. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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