Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,881 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,721 in Mecca.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 1% less than in Mecca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Mecca 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.88 SAR 18.32

26.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$40.07 SAR 150

-18.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.21 SAR 34.60

-20.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-46.08%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.91 SAR 3.41

15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.29 SAR 1.08

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-37.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.89 SAR 3.34

46.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-38.05%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.92 SAR 25.99

-36.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.58 SAR 32.23

-31.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-36.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.31 SAR 8.67

-1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.87 SAR 7.02

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.20 SAR 4.49

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.22 SAR 4.57

-7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.66 SAR 2.46

37.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.94 SAR 29.81

-70.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-38.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.83 SAR 150

1.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-39.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.83 SAR 6.87

4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.56 SAR 39.64

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.59 SAR 2.22

67.80%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

-31.47%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

27.27%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$77.1 SAR 289

4.87%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$35.21 SAR 132

-71.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$67.3 SAR 253

-64.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$84.8 SAR 318

-70.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$34.89 SAR 131

-45.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-78.69%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$399 SAR 1,500

-23.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

30.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$22.32 SAR 83.8

160.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$63.5 SAR 239

-49.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$59.2 SAR 222

70.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$51.3 SAR 192

110.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$226 SAR 849

110.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$290 SAR 1,090

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$686 SAR 2,576

23.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,041 SAR 3,909

-29.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-49.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,305 SAR 8,656

-40.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,089 SAR 4,088

-43.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.5

144.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $226 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 77% 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 $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $208 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Mecca. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $226 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,041 in Mecca – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 2% less than in Mecca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,041 in Mecca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Mecca. 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 Mecca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Mecca 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 1% less than in Mecca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.