Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Medina Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Medina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,457 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,845 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,232 in Medina, rent included.

Medellin is about 30% cheaper than Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Medina is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.46 SAR 20.50

8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.16 SAR 121

3.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.89 SAR 29.60

-8.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.43 SAR 9.12

-32.92%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.76 SAR 2.86

43.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.39 SAR 1.44

87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.91 SAR 3.40

41.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-42.36%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.04 SAR 7.67

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.52 SAR 24.45

-33.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.31 SAR 27.42

-19.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.80 SAR 48.04

-32.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.41 SAR 9.05

-6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.14 SAR 8.05

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.14 SAR 8.05

-28.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.44 SAR 5.39

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.99 SAR 3.71

-10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.84 SAR 3.14

7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$7.56 SAR 28.37

-70.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-22.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$37.91 SAR 142

10.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.31 SAR 4.90

7.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.71 SAR 6.42

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.46 SAR 20.50

41.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.64 SAR 2.39

57.81%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

-16.88%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

23.70%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$201 SAR 755

-58.39%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$32.95 SAR 124

-71.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$102 SAR 382

-76.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$77.5 SAR 291

-67.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$8.95 SAR 33.59

113.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.56 SAR 50.9

-69.76%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$287 SAR 1,078

8.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,365 SAR 27.6K

-18.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$36.93 SAR 139

57.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$52.3 SAR 196

-37.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$67.3 SAR 253

47.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$96.6 SAR 362

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$434 SAR 1,627

11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$563 SAR 2,114

-32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$726 SAR 2,723

15.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$418 SAR 1,569

72.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,279 SAR 8,553

24.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,336 SAR 5,013

-8.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,321 SAR 4,957

-59.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

347.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medina: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $434 in Medina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 144% higher in Medina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Medina. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $200 in Medina – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medina is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,186 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Medina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,457 in Medina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Medina at $1,457. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.