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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,468 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,836 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,204 in Medina, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Medina is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$5.70 SAR 21.39

3.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.98 SAR 120

2.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.78 SAR 29.16

-7.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.44 SAR 9.14

-30.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.82 SAR 3.06

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 SAR 1.46

84.62%

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

$1.63 SAR 6.12

-34.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.98 SAR 3.66

27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-42.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.11 SAR 7.93

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.49 SAR 24.36

-33.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.90 SAR 25.88

-15.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.77 SAR 47.89

-30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.35 SAR 8.80

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.17 SAR 8.15

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-19.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.38 SAR 5.18

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.51 SAR 5.65

-25.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.02 SAR 3.83

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.83 SAR 3.10

9.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.44 SAR 27.89

-68.68%

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

$1.09 SAR 4.07

-27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$37.59 SAR 141

9.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.35 SAR 5.05

6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.64 SAR 6.14

16.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.63 SAR 21.12

42.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.65 SAR 2.44

44.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

-16.19%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

27.59%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$201 SAR 754

-58.26%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$33.28 SAR 125

-71.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$103 SAR 386

-76.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$77.5 SAR 290

-66.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$8.66 SAR 32.47

119.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.29 SAR 49.83

-70.50%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$291 SAR 1,092

5.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,315 SAR 27.4K

-19.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$37.64 SAR 141

53.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$52.7 SAR 198

-39.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.1 SAR 248

51.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$97.1 SAR 364

10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$421 SAR 1,578

15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$554 SAR 2,076

-33.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$723 SAR 2,712

14.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$417 SAR 1,563

71.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,312 SAR 8,669

26.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,328 SAR 4,981

5.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,349 SAR 5,058

-59.56%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medina: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $421 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 147% 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 $199 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 42%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,203 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,468 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 $1,034, than in Medina at $1,468. 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.