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 $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,197 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,894 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,591 in Madinat Hamad, rent included.

Medellin is about 14% 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 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.63 BHD 0.99

128.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$53.1 BHD 20.03

-38.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$7.62 BHD 2.87

-2.62%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.57 BHD 0.97

-35.80%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.86 BHD 0.32

24.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 BHD 0.14

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$7.75 BHD 2.92

-77.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$10.73 BHD 4.04

-70.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.57 BHD 0.59

-33.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.03 BHD 0.39

27.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.31 BHD 0.87

-41.99%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.08 BHD 0.78

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$8.76 BHD 3.30

-49.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$7.84 BHD 2.96

-27.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$10.22 BHD 3.85

-16.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.17 BHD 0.82

7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.55 BHD 0.58

-28.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.75 BHD 0.66

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.17 BHD 0.44

17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.93 BHD 0.35

23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.03 BHD 0.39

14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.50 BHD 0.57

-44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.54 BHD 0.20

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$6.50 BHD 2.45

-65.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$18.85 BHD 7.11

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$3.33 BHD 1.26

-63.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.22 BHD 1.21

-22.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.69 BHD 0.26

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$33.92 BHD 12.78

20.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$4.74 BHD 1.79

-68.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$3.23 BHD 1.22

-40.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$26.26 BHD 9.90

-70.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.36 BHD 0.13

180.56%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$36.9K BHD 13.9K

-52.19%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.8K BHD 7,841

27.16%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$120 BHD 45.22

-32.41%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$23.94 BHD 9.02

-60.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$18.46 BHD 6.96

29.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$119 BHD 44.67

-78.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$53.0 BHD 19.97

-64.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$5.16 BHD 1.95

-20.74%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$390 BHD 147

-19.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$9,046 BHD 3,409

-33.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$46.32 BHD 17.46

28.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$61.9 BHD 23.32

-48.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$83.9 BHD 31.61

20.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$89.9 BHD 33.89

16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$405 BHD 153

19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$319 BHD 120

14.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$806 BHD 304

2.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$675 BHD 255

8.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$666 BHD 251

-17.24%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Madinat Hamad: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $405 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 $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: $1,028 in Medellin, $1,197 in Madinat Hamad – roughly 16% apart. Madinat Hamad costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,796 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 20% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $390 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 $1,028, than in Madinat Hamad at $1,197. 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 $1,028 in Medellin to $1,197 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.