Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Madinat Hamad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Madinat Hamad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,221 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,901 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,582 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Madinat Hamad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Madinat Hamad is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.60 BHD 0.98

208.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$52.2 BHD 19.68

-8.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.41 BHD 2.79

33.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.68 BHD 1.01

16.79%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.90 BHD 0.34

112.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.32 BHD 0.12

371.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$6.45 BHD 2.43

-51.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$9.72 BHD 3.66

-40.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.48 BHD 0.56

-2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.03 BHD 0.39

141.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.01 BHD 0.76

47.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.63 BHD 3.25

16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.34 BHD 2.39

59.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.38 BHD 3.16

70.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.17 BHD 0.82

90.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.56 BHD 0.59

3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.96 BHD 0.74

14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.30 BHD 0.49

73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.05 BHD 0.40

94.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.04 BHD 0.39

48.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.54 BHD 0.58

-24.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.54 BHD 0.20

142.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.24 BHD 1.97

-25.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$18.42 BHD 6.94

-23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.59 BHD 1.35

-51.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.68 BHD 1.01

7.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.64 BHD 0.24

90.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$34.31 BHD 12.93

134.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.19 BHD 1.96

-74.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.63 BHD 0.99

-16.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$16.13 BHD 6.08

-46.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.39 BHD 0.15

251.28%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$36.6K BHD 13.8K

-23.86%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$20.2K BHD 7,619

76.97%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$155 BHD 58.3

14.63%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$23.49 BHD 8.85

-40.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$18.20 BHD 6.86

63.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$121 BHD 45.56

-62.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$52.5 BHD 19.78

-67.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.45 BHD 2.05

22.02%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$483 BHD 182

68.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$11.0K BHD 4,145

-16.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$51.1 BHD 19.27

75.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$57.2 BHD 21.55

3.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$87.0 BHD 32.79

58.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$89.3 BHD 33.64

14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$402 BHD 152

163.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$320 BHD 121

106.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$803 BHD 303

135.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$670 BHD 252

53.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$676 BHD 255

0.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.21

76.17%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Madinat Hamad: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $402 in Madinat Hamad. 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 0% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Madinat Hamad. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $238 in Madinat Hamad – so Madinat Hamad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Madinat Hamad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,221 in Madinat Hamad – roughly 38% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,831 in Madinat Hamad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 135% less in Madinat Hamad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $483 in Madinat Hamad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Madinat Hamad, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Madinat Hamad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,221 in Madinat Hamad to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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