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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,173 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,899 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,625 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Madinat Hamad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Madinat Hamad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Madinat Hamad 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.71 BHD 1.02

118.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$52.8 BHD 19.87

-38.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.33 BHD 2.75

-1.77%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.62 BHD 0.98

-35.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.81 BHD 0.30

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 BHD 0.14

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.82 BHD 2.94

-78.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$10.70 BHD 4.02

-71.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.55 BHD 0.58

-31.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.08 BHD 0.40

15.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.39 BHD 0.90

-41.84%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.98 BHD 0.74

14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.46 BHD 3.18

-48.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.53 BHD 2.83

-22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.29 BHD 3.87

-14.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.16 BHD 0.81

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.62 BHD 0.61

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.75 BHD 0.66

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.21 BHD 0.45

13.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.93 BHD 0.35

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.03 BHD 0.39

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.52 BHD 0.57

-44.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 BHD 0.21

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.77 BHD 2.54

-65.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$18.42 BHD 6.93

-39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.32 BHD 1.25

-64.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.32 BHD 1.25

-28.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.63 BHD 0.24

25.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$34.92 BHD 13.13

17.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.55 BHD 1.71

-68.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.39 BHD 1.28

-43.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$26.32 BHD 9.89

-69.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.36 BHD 0.13

161.11%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$37.3K BHD 14.0K

-51.93%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.7K BHD 7,782

29.45%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$120 BHD 44.97

-29.79%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$23.99 BHD 9.02

-59.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$18.72 BHD 7.04

29.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$118 BHD 44.45

-78.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$52.0 BHD 19.54

-63.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.37 BHD 2.02

-27.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$387 BHD 145

-20.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,985 BHD 3,378

-34.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$46.29 BHD 17.41

25.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$62.6 BHD 23.54

-49.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$81.9 BHD 30.79

22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$88.4 BHD 33.25

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$402 BHD 151

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$320 BHD 120

15.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$809 BHD 304

2.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$652 BHD 245

9.86%

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

$661 BHD 249

-17.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.56

56.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Madinat Hamad: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 21% higher in Madinat Hamad, 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 $53.0 in Madinat Hamad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $249 – 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 Madinat Hamad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,173 in Madinat Hamad – roughly 14% apart. Madinat Hamad costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,760 in Madinat Hamad. 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.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $387 in Madinat Hamad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Madinat Hamad at $1,173. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madinat Hamad 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 $1,173 in Madinat Hamad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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