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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $2,139 in Lusail, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $3,536 in Lusail, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $4,933 in Lusail, rent included.

Medellin is about 53% cheaper than Lusail, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Lusail is 61% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.92 QAR 25.17

-14.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$55.6 QAR 202

-40.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.00 QAR 25.49

6.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.06 QAR 40.26

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.04 QAR 18.33

-67.26%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.79 QAR 2.86

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.31 QAR 1.12

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.06 QAR 7.49

-46.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.38 QAR 5.03

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.58 QAR 9.41

-15.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.63 QAR 42.35

-61.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.50 QAR 27.30

-22.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.71 QAR 38.99

-16.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.97 QAR 7.16

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.64 QAR 5.98

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.49 QAR 5.44

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.56 QAR 2.04

142.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.53 QAR 1.94

113.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.54 QAR 1.96

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.37 QAR 4.99

-34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.45 QAR 1.64

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.28 QAR 37.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 QAR 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 QAR 11.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.28 QAR 22.85

-64.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.19 QAR 7.96

-35.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.13 QAR 7.75

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$13.89 QAR 50.6

-43.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.60 QAR 2.18

65.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$22.3K QAR 81.3K

-21.22%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.8K QAR 75.7K

28.87%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$91.0 QAR 331

-8.76%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$37.87 QAR 138

-74.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$88.3 QAR 322

-73.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$12.16 QAR 44.27

-67.52%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$807 QAR 2,939

-60.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$12.0K QAR 43.6K

-50.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$63.2 QAR 230

-5.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$56.1 QAR 204

-43.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$102 QAR 371

-0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$89.1 QAR 324

20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$2,056 QAR 7,485

-76.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,381 QAR 5,027

-72.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$4,638 QAR 16.9K

-81.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$3,302 QAR 12.0K

-78.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,382 QAR 5,032

-54.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lusail: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $2,056 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 121% 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: $193 vs $199 – 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $2,139 in Lusail – roughly 113% apart. Lusail costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $3,209 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 3% 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 $1,003, than in Lusail at $2,139. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $2,139 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.