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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,206 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,905 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,603 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

Medellin is about 17% cheaper than Madinat Hamad, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Madinat Hamad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Madinat Hamad 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.57 BHD 0.97

129.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$53.5 BHD 20.18

-38.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.50 BHD 2.83

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.68 BHD 1.01

-38.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.85 BHD 0.32

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.39 BHD 0.15

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$7.90 BHD 2.98

-78.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$10.57 BHD 3.98

-69.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.62 BHD 0.61

-32.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.04 BHD 0.39

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.41 BHD 0.91

-42.74%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.04 BHD 0.77

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.59 BHD 3.24

-47.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.85 BHD 2.96

-26.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.36 BHD 3.90

-13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.14 BHD 0.81

8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.55 BHD 0.58

-31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.73 BHD 0.65

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.21 BHD 0.46

12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.93 BHD 0.35

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.04 BHD 0.39

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.52 BHD 0.20

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.50 BHD 2.45

-65.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$18.49 BHD 6.97

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.46 BHD 1.30

-65.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.27 BHD 1.23

-24.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.68 BHD 0.26

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$34.98 BHD 13.18

18.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.74 BHD 1.78

-70.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.34 BHD 1.26

-41.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$26.68 BHD 10.06

-70.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.35 BHD 0.13

182.86%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$37.1K BHD 14.0K

-52.55%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.1K BHD 7,969

26.75%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$123 BHD 46.52

-32.74%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$23.61 BHD 8.90

-58.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$18.26 BHD 6.88

28.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$118 BHD 44.42

-78.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$53.3 BHD 20.10

-64.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.33 BHD 2.01

-25.89%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$382 BHD 144

-17.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,807 BHD 3,319

-32.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$45.43 BHD 17.12

32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$63.1 BHD 23.80

-49.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$84.4 BHD 31.80

20.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$90.2 BHD 33.99

19.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$391 BHD 147

21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$312 BHD 118

19.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$796 BHD 300

6.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$670 BHD 253

7.35%

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

$655 BHD 247

-4.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Madinat Hamad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $391 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 5% 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 $54.0 in Madinat Hamad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $251 – 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: $1,003 in Medellin, $1,206 in Madinat Hamad – roughly 20% apart. Madinat Hamad costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,809 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 19% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $382 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 $1,003, than in Madinat Hamad at $1,206. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,206 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.