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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $966 in Khamis Mushayt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,565 in Khamis Mushayt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,163 in Khamis Mushayt.

Living in Medellin is roughly 7% more expensive than in Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Khamis Mushayt 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16 COP 20.1K
$6.57 SAR 24.68
-6.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60 COP 106.1K
$41.89 SAR 157
-22.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.34 COP 23.9K
$6.71 SAR 25.19
9.39%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.75 SAR 6.57
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.81 SAR 6.81
-
Cappuccino
$1.72 COP 5,599
$5.23 SAR 19.64
-67.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 COP 3,420
$0.76 SAR 2.86
38.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COP 2,515
$0.28 SAR 1.06
175.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.69 COP 5,487
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 COP 10.3K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COP 3,423
$1.71 SAR 6.42
-38.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COP 4,236
$0.36 SAR 1.35
261.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 COP 4,544
$1.84 SAR 6.91
-23.91%
Eggs
$2.16 COP 7,046
$4.44 SAR 16.66
-51.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.39 COP 14.3K
$6.79 SAR 25.48
-35.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COP 19.1K
$7.66 SAR 28.75
-23.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.64 COP 28.1K
$15.42 SAR 57.9
-43.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 COP 7,425
$2.20 SAR 8.25
3.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,603
$1.49 SAR 5.58
-25.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,982
$1.08 SAR 4.06
41.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 COP 4,410
$2.02 SAR 7.57
-33.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,674
$1.71 SAR 6.43
-33.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,692
$1.44 SAR 5.39
-21.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 2,753
$1.19 SAR 4.47
-28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 2,975
$0.70 SAR 2.61
30.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.41 SAR 9.05
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.71 SAR 6.44
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.02 SAR 7.57
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 COP 7,629
$8.10 SAR 30.41
-71.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.37 COP 40.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 3,909
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 COP 8,104
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COP 2,727
$1.04 SAR 3.91
-19.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.57 COP 132.1K
$40.69 SAR 153
-0.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 4,623
$2.67 SAR 10.03
-46.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COP 6,235
$2.02 SAR 7.58
-4.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.66 COP 24.9K
$13.12 SAR 49.26
-41.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 COP 3,223
$0.63 SAR 2.38
57.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K COP 58.7M
$26.7K SAR 100.3K
-32.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K COP 86.7M
$22.6K SAR 84.9K
17.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 COP 263.1K
$106 SAR 398
-23.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95 COP 32.4K
$33.53 SAR 126
-70.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18 COP 78.7K
$71.3 SAR 268
-66.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.08 COP 81.6K
$87.9 SAR 330
-71.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15 COP 62.3K
$35.17 SAR 132
-45.55%
Cinema Ticket
$3.98 COP 13.0K
$15.36 SAR 57.7
-74.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 COP 993.4K
$348 SAR 1,308
-12.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,059 COP 19.7M
$6,953 SAR 26.1K
-12.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 COP 189.2K
$60.0 SAR 225
-3.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20 COP 104.8K
$61.1 SAR 230
-47.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COP 327.9K
$79.7 SAR 299
26.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 350.8K
$83.3 SAR 313
29.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$477 COP 1.6M
$157 SAR 591
202.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$376 COP 1.2M
$105 SAR 396
256.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 COP 2.7M
$402 SAR 1,509
110.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.4M
$281 SAR 1,053
160.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,215 COP 10.5M
$2,607 SAR 9,789
23.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,372 COP 4.5M
$1,448 SAR 5,438
-5.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$617 COP 2.0M
$1,603 SAR 6,019
-61.52%
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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $157 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Khamis Mushayt pays 160% 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 $42.00 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $206 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 7% 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 in Khamis Mushayt?
On paper, salaries run 160% lower in Khamis Mushayt. 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 compared to Khamis Mushayt?
Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $157 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Medellin compared to Khamis Mushayt?
A monthly transit pass in Khamis Mushayt runs roughly 0% 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 in Khamis Mushayt?
Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $348 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 in Khamis Mushayt?
At $966 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,031 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 $966 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 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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