Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manama Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Manama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,496 in Manama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,408 in Manama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,319 in Manama.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 32% less than in Manama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Manama is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.48 BHD 2.44

-7.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$53.5 BHD 20.16

-38.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.27 BHD 2.74

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.34 BHD 2.01

-67.98%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.87 BHD 0.33

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.36 BHD 0.14

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$8.09 BHD 3.05

-79.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$10.54 BHD 3.97

-70.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.71 BHD 0.64

-36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.27 BHD 0.48

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.43 BHD 0.91

-43.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.47 BHD 0.93

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.59 BHD 3.24

-48.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.74 BHD 2.92

-27.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.28 BHD 3.88

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.36 BHD 0.89

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.11 BHD 0.79

-49.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.77 BHD 0.67

-15.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.18 BHD 0.44

16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.93 BHD 0.35

23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.09 BHD 0.41

6.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.46 BHD 0.55

-39.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.86 BHD 0.32

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$6.58 BHD 2.48

-65.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$18.88 BHD 7.12

-43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.44 BHD 1.30

-65.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.29 BHD 1.24

-24.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.83 BHD 0.31

3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$31.28 BHD 11.79

32.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$4.58 BHD 1.72

-67.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.96 BHD 1.49

-50.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$26.86 BHD 10.13

-71.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.52 BHD 0.19

82.69%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$36.8K BHD 13.9K

-50.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.7K BHD 7,796

28.07%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$121 BHD 45.53

-31.90%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$26.86 BHD 10.13

-64.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$38.52 BHD 14.52

-37.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$71.0 BHD 26.78

-63.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$45.13 BHD 17.01

-57.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.78 BHD 4.06

-63.54%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$382 BHD 144

-19.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,953 BHD 3,375

-33.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$46.73 BHD 17.62

25.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$63.8 BHD 24.03

-49.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$84.8 BHD 31.98

20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$88.8 BHD 33.47

22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$818 BHD 308

-41.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$559 BHD 211

-32.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,791 BHD 675

-53.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,244 BHD 469

-41.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,629 BHD 991

6.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,941 BHD 732

-37.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,360 BHD 890

-78.31%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $818 in Manama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manama pays 361% 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 $53.0 in Manama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $265 per month, with Medellin 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 Manama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Manama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Manama earns 361% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $818 in Manama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 32% less than in Manama. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $382 in Manama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,496 in Manama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Manama. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Manama 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 48% less than in Manama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.