Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Muscat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Muscat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,525 in Muscat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,272 in Muscat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,019 in Muscat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Muscat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Muscat sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Muscat by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$5.34 OMR 2.06

50.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$34.00 OMR 13.09

41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$7.74 OMR 2.98

26.23%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-38.48%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.86 OMR 0.33

125.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.29 OMR 0.11

424.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$13.07 OMR 5.03

-76.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$12.79 OMR 4.92

-55.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.25 OMR 0.87

-39.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.25 OMR 0.48

91.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.90 OMR 0.73

-10.53%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.94 OMR 1.13

-2.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.65 OMR 2.94

29.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$6.57 OMR 2.53

64.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$10.54 OMR 4.06

39.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.41 OMR 1.31

19.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-21.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.32 OMR 0.89

-8.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.20 OMR 0.46

84.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.22 OMR 0.47

68.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.29 OMR 0.50

16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-33.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.67 OMR 0.26

73.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.30 OMR 2.43

-38.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$15.43 OMR 5.94

-6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$5.68 OMR 2.19

-72.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$8.72 OMR 3.36

-67.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.29 OMR 0.49

-9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$76.7 OMR 29.52

1.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-60.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$2.59 OMR 1.00

-19.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$7.82 OMR 3.01

10.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.61 OMR 0.23

113.11%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$25.1K OMR 9,665

10.17%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$22.2K OMR 8,564

59.63%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$170 OMR 65.5

3.58%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$30.94 OMR 11.91

-56.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$69.9 OMR 26.92

-57.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$62.7 OMR 24.14

-28.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$29.20 OMR 11.24

-41.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-40.04%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$289 OMR 111

174.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$10.7K OMR 4,110

-15.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$55.7 OMR 21.42

53.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$43.19 OMR 16.63

35.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$92.0 OMR 35.43

48.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$96.0 OMR 36.95

7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$673 OMR 259

57.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$455 OMR 175

49.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,366 OMR 526

47.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$857 OMR 330

36.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$2,835 OMR 1,092

45.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,595 OMR 614

6.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,660 OMR 639

-59.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.25

108.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $673 in Muscat. 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 150% higher in Muscat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Muscat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $284 – making Muscat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,288 in Muscat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muscat, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $34.00 in Muscat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,525 in Muscat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Muscat, where all-in costs run around $1,525, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Muscat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muscat – 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 Muscat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.