Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahboula Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahboula

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,217 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,010 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,803 in Mahboula.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 18% less than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Mahboula 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$6.60 KWD 2.04

-10.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$26.12 KWD 8.08

26.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$9.17 KWD 2.84

-18.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 KWD 0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$5.77 KWD 1.78

-71.40%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$0.48 KWD 0.15

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$0.15 KWD 0.05

420.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$1.54 KWD 0.48

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$0.94 KWD 0.29

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$1.80 KWD 0.56

-23.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$1.34 KWD 0.41

62.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$5.12 KWD 1.58

-12.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$6.34 KWD 1.96

-8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$10.36 KWD 3.21

-13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$2.35 KWD 0.73

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-46.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$1.80 KWD 0.56

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$1.13 KWD 0.35

20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$1.26 KWD 0.39

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.16 KWD 0.36

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$1.62 KWD 0.50

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.46 KWD 0.14

95.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$1.67 KWD 0.52

33.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$0.79 KWD 0.24

7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$48.97 KWD 15.16

-15.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$1.67 KWD 0.52

16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$5.64 KWD 1.75

39.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$0.16 KWD 0.05

518.75%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$19.6K KWD 6,065

-10.17%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$17.8K KWD 5,510

50.53%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$61.3 KWD 18.97

35.44%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$16.37 KWD 5.07

-40.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$25.84 KWD 8.00

-8.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$92.7 KWD 28.70

-72.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$45.43 KWD 14.06

-57.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$11.24 KWD 3.48

-64.86%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$392 KWD 121

-19.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$6,526 KWD 2,020

-8.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$42.24 KWD 13.07

42.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$42.25 KWD 13.08

-24.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$89.0 KWD 27.54

14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$81.3 KWD 25.16

32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$728 KWD 225

-34.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$503 KWD 156

-25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$1,808 KWD 560

-53.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$1,135 KWD 351

-36.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$1,302 KWD 403

-52.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.14

88.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $728 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 109% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $170 per month, with Mahboula cheaper across the board.

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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 109% lower in Mahboula. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $728 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $26.00 in Mahboula. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,217 in Mahboula – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,217 in Mahboula, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Mahboula. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mahboula, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Mahboula are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Mahboula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.