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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,249 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,042 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,836 in Mahboula.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 17% less than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Mahboula 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.70 KWD 2.06

-11.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$26.42 KWD 8.11

23.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.02 KWD 2.77

-20.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.95 KWD 1.83

-71.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.50 KWD 0.15

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.17 KWD 0.05

323.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.55 KWD 0.47

-31.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.99 KWD 0.31

26.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.71 KWD 0.53

-18.71%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.34 KWD 0.41

68.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.18 KWD 1.59

-16.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.65 KWD 2.04

-12.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.20 KWD 3.13

-13.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.34 KWD 0.72

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.12 KWD 0.34

22.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.23 KWD 0.38

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.17 KWD 0.36

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-48.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.45 KWD 0.14

102.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.67 KWD 0.51

39.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.78 KWD 0.24

1.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$49.41 KWD 15.17

-16.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.65 KWD 0.51

15.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.70 KWD 1.75

40.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.20 KWD 0.06

370.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.7K KWD 6,042

-8.93%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.8K KWD 5,451

50.89%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$63.1 KWD 19.36

33.12%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.17 KWD 4.96

-40.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.68 KWD 7.88

-5.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$94.9 KWD 29.14

-72.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$46.91 KWD 14.40

-59.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$11.43 KWD 3.51

-65.70%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$389 KWD 119

-21.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,527 KWD 2,004

-9.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.99 KWD 13.20

34.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.85 KWD 13.15

-25.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$89.2 KWD 27.38

12.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$81.2 KWD 24.93

31.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$724 KWD 222

-32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$515 KWD 158

-28.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,764 KWD 542

-53.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,147 KWD 352

-37.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,318 KWD 405

-58.61%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $724 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 142% 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 $171 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, Mahboula earns 142% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $724 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,249 in Mahboula – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,249 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.