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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,251 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,031 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,810 in Mahboula.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 19% less than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Mahboula 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.71 KWD 2.06

-11.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.36 KWD 8.10

26.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.94 KWD 2.75

-19.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.88 KWD 1.81

-72.28%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.51 KWD 0.16

113.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.14 KWD 0.04

421.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.94 KWD 0.29

37.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-26.26%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.34 KWD 0.41

69.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.11 KWD 1.57

-14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.32 KWD 1.94

-6.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.19 KWD 3.13

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.42 KWD 0.74

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.95 KWD 0.60

-45.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.73 KWD 0.53

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.11 KWD 0.34

27.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.21 KWD 0.37

-3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.11 KWD 0.34

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.61 KWD 0.49

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.46 KWD 0.14

95.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

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)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.58 KWD 0.49

42.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.78 KWD 0.24

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$48.84 KWD 15.00

-14.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-14.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.65 KWD 0.51

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.89 KWD 1.81

31.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.16 KWD 0.05

531.25%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.5K KWD 6,000

-9.99%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$17.7K KWD 5,439

49.64%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$61.3 KWD 18.84

36.44%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.24 KWD 4.99

-41.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.02 KWD 7.99

-7.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$95.5 KWD 29.33

-73.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$47.19 KWD 14.50

-59.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$11.34 KWD 3.48

-63.84%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$399 KWD 123

-21.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,527 KWD 2,005

-8.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$42.71 KWD 13.12

35.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.75 KWD 13.13

-23.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$87.1 KWD 26.76

14.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$80.2 KWD 24.65

35.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$746 KWD 229

-35.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$507 KWD 156

-25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,792 KWD 551

-53.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,150 KWD 353

-37.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,318 KWD 405

-58.97%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $746 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 144% 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 $190 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mahboula earns 144% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $746 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 $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,251 in Mahboula – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,251 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 23% less than in Mahboula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.