Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lusail Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lusail

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $2,136 in Lusail, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $3,514 in Lusail, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $4,891 in Lusail, rent included.

Medellin is about 52% cheaper than Lusail, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Lusail is 60% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.71 QAR 24.44

-11.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$56.1 QAR 204

-41.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.68 QAR 24.32

7.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.59 QAR 42.19

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.07 QAR 40.29

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.95 QAR 18.03

-65.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.80 QAR 2.90

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.33 QAR 1.21

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.14 QAR 7.80

-50.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.61 QAR 5.85

-22.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.36 QAR 4.94

2.21%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.68 QAR 9.74

-15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.63 QAR 42.33

-62.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.91 QAR 28.79

-26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.52 QAR 38.31

-16.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.00 QAR 7.29

12.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.64 QAR 5.97

-34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.53 QAR 5.56

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.54 QAR 1.96

153.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.52 QAR 1.91

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.56 QAR 2.05

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.37 QAR 5.00

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.46 QAR 1.66

97.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.76 QAR 35.52

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 QAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.48 QAR 23.60

-64.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.17 QAR 7.89

-33.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.20 QAR 8.02

-13.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$13.47 QAR 49.02

-40.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.55 QAR 1.98

70.91%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.8K QAR 82.9K

-21.30%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.7K QAR 75.4K

29.39%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$91.0 QAR 331

-7.72%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$38.13 QAR 139

-74.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$86.7 QAR 315

-72.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$12.13 QAR 44.17

-67.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$801 QAR 2,917

-61.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$11.8K QAR 42.9K

-49.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.6 QAR 224

-6.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$56.3 QAR 205

-43.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$102 QAR 370

-1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$91.6 QAR 333

17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$2,069 QAR 7,530

-76.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,347 QAR 4,903

-72.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$4,731 QAR 17.2K

-82.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$3,359 QAR 12.2K

-78.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,352 QAR 4,922

-59.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.08

120.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lusail: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $2,069 in Lusail. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 148% higher in Lusail, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $56.0 in Lusail. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $202 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lusail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $2,136 in Lusail – roughly 107% apart. Lusail costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $3,205 in Lusail. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $56.0 in Lusail. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Lusail, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Lusail at $2,136. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lusail it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,034 in Medellin to $2,136 in Lusail. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lusail makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.