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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Mecca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Mecca 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.89 SAR 18.35

22.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$39.53 SAR 148

-16.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$9.39 SAR 35.24

-24.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.16 SAR 11.87

-45.89%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.87 SAR 3.25

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.29 SAR 1.07

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-33.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.89 SAR 3.34

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-38.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.04 SAR 26.43

-37.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-32.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$13.38 SAR 50.2

-33.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.31 SAR 8.69

1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-15.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.04 SAR 7.66

-32.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-8.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.68 SAR 2.56

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.01 SAR 30.07

-71.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-34.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$40.59 SAR 152

2.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.44 SAR 9.14

-39.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.83 SAR 6.89

7.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.59 SAR 39.75

-26.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.60 SAR 2.26

58.33%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

-32.24%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

23.52%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$77.7 SAR 291

5.92%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$35.25 SAR 132

-73.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$65.8 SAR 247

-63.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$87.6 SAR 329

-70.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$34.97 SAR 131

-45.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-78.86%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$404 SAR 1,518

-23.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

29.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$22.51 SAR 84.5

160.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$62.5 SAR 235

-48.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$58.8 SAR 221

74.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$51.1 SAR 192

112.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$231 SAR 868

106.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$282 SAR 1,059

34.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$669 SAR 2,510

25.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,026 SAR 3,851

-29.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-57.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,238 SAR 8,400

-45.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,075 SAR 4,035

-52.39%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $231 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 110% 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 $188 vs $207 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mecca earns 110% 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 $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 5% 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 $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,065 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 5% less than in Mecca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.