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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,240 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $2,021 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,802 in Mahboula.

Living in Medellin is roughly 32% more expensive than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Mahboula is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.58 KWD 2.02

22.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$25.57 KWD 7.84

88.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.87 KWD 2.72

6.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$5.57 KWD 1.71

-47.22%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$0.47 KWD 0.14

295.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.18 KWD 0.06

711.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$0.94 KWD 0.29

155.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-11.46%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$1.33 KWD 0.41

117.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$4.36 KWD 1.34

130.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.57 KWD 2.02

51.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.21 KWD 3.13

39.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.42 KWD 0.74

64.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.84 KWD 0.57

-14.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$1.80 KWD 0.55

19.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$1.11 KWD 0.34

107.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$1.38 KWD 0.42

44.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$1.16 KWD 0.35

30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$2.38 KWD 0.73

-49.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$0.51 KWD 0.16

150.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.58 KWD 0.48

143.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.84 KWD 0.26

48.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$48.80 KWD 14.96

59.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-18.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$1.58 KWD 0.49

37.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.60 KWD 1.72

48.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$0.18 KWD 0.06

655.56%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$19.1K KWD 5,859

43.78%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$17.8K KWD 5,450

105.54%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$65.7 KWD 20.16

156.65%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$16.24 KWD 4.98

-16.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$30.40 KWD 9.32

-6.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$96.5 KWD 29.57

-52.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$48.77 KWD 14.95

-64.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$11.30 KWD 3.46

-41.15%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$307 KWD 94.0

161.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,687 KWD 2,050

37.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$37.86 KWD 11.61

130.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$39.59 KWD 12.14

49.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$98.0 KWD 30.05

41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$90.0 KWD 27.60

13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$720 KWD 221

48.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$501 KWD 154

30.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,790 KWD 549

7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,128 KWD 346

-7.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,284 KWD 394

-48.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.53

67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $720 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 96% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $173 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

Mahboula is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 96% 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $720 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $1,240 in Mahboula – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,240 in Mahboula versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mahboula is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.