Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khamis Mushayt Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khamis Mushayt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $952 in Khamis Mushayt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,562 in Khamis Mushayt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,172 in Khamis Mushayt.

Living in Medellin is roughly 6% more expensive than Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Khamis Mushayt 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$6.83 SARΒ 25.65
-12.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.4K
$42.60 SARΒ 160
-22.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$6.94 SARΒ 26.06
2.16%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.76 SARΒ 6.60
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.78 SARΒ 6.70
-
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,115
$5.35 SARΒ 20.09
-68.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,924
$0.75 SARΒ 2.82
46.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,781
$0.26 SARΒ 0.97
200.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,997
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 11.0K
-
-
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,906
$1.75 SARΒ 6.56
-37.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,508
$0.35 SARΒ 1.32
260.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,922
$1.92 SARΒ 7.21
-28.13%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,827
$4.37 SARΒ 16.39
-49.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$6.63 SARΒ 24.87
-33.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$7.67 SARΒ 28.78
-26.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.8K
$15.41 SARΒ 57.8
-42.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,349
$2.24 SARΒ 8.40
4.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,777
$1.43 SARΒ 5.38
-25.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,374
$1.05 SARΒ 3.93
42.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,924
$1.97 SARΒ 7.40
-29.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,111
$1.70 SARΒ 6.40
-32.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,155
$1.38 SARΒ 5.20
-15.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,182
$1.25 SARΒ 4.67
-28.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,997
$0.65 SARΒ 2.43
29.23%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.11 SARΒ 11.68
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.69 SARΒ 6.35
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.10 SARΒ 7.87
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,145
$7.83 SARΒ 29.37
-70.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 38.0K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,284
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,824
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,056
$1.10 SARΒ 4.13
-21.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.9K
$40.19 SARΒ 151
3.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,264
$2.65 SARΒ 9.93
-44.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 7,009
$2.02 SARΒ 7.59
-2.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$13.45 SARΒ 50.5
-42.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,409
$0.63 SARΒ 2.37
50.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.7M
$26.5K SARΒ 99.5K
-31.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.6M
$22.4K SARΒ 84.1K
18.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.7K
$106 SARΒ 399
-22.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$34.38 SARΒ 129
-72.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.5K
$71.5 SARΒ 268
-66.13%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.4K
$89.5 SARΒ 336
-71.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.9K
$35.37 SARΒ 133
-46.28%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$15.61 SARΒ 58.6
-74.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$346 SARΒ 1,300
-10.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$7,039 SARΒ 26.4K
-15.25%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.5K
$58.8 SARΒ 221
-0.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.5K
$60.7 SARΒ 228
-46.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 366.4K
$77.8 SARΒ 292
31.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 387.2K
$82.3 SARΒ 309
31.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$159 SARΒ 597
199.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$108 SARΒ 404
251.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$406 SARΒ 1,523
106.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$282 SARΒ 1,059
156.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 10.0M
$2,505 SARΒ 9,402
11.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$1,144 SARΒ 4,294
5.88%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$1,619 SARΒ 6,078
-68.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
4.42
203.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $159 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Khamis Mushayt pays 216% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $43.00 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $205 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 Khamis Mushayt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Khamis Mushayt?
Khamis Mushayt wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Khamis Mushayt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Khamis Mushayt?
On paper, Khamis Mushayt earns 216% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Khamis Mushayt?
Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $159 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Medellin vs Khamis Mushayt?
A monthly transit pass in Khamis Mushayt runs roughly 3% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and Khamis Mushayt?
Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $346 in Khamis Mushayt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or Khamis Mushayt?
At $952 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Khamis Mushayt but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Khamis Mushayt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Khamis Mushayt?
Both work as nomad bases, but Khamis Mushayt delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $952 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Khamis Mushayt hard to pass up.
How safe is Medellin compared to Khamis Mushayt?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Khamis Mushayt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Khamis Mushayt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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