Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qairawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qairawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,330 in Qairawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,259 in Qairawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,189 in Qairawan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Qairawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Qairawan is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$7.87 KWD 2.41

0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$65.6 KWD 20.11

-32.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.18 KWD 2.81

1.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$5.55 KWD 1.70

-47.75%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.65 KWD 0.20

178.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.33 KWD 0.10

369.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.30 KWD 0.40

6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.81 KWD 0.25

202.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.18 KWD 0.67

-30.73%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.16 KWD 0.66

28.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.72 KWD 1.45

91.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.12 KWD 1.88

74.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.45 KWD 2.59

73.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.58 KWD 0.79

53.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.78 KWD 0.54

-22.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.22 KWD 0.37

88.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.32 KWD 0.40

53.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.19 KWD 0.36

75.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.93 KWD 0.29

75.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-39.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.53 KWD 0.16

135.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.55 KWD 1.09

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 KWD 0.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.64 KWD 0.81

52.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.92 KWD 0.28

28.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$50.1 KWD 15.35

59.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.87 KWD 0.88

-43.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$3.56 KWD 1.09

-40.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$17.09 KWD 5.24

-50.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.37 KWD 0.11

264.86%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$22.4K KWD 6,877

26.32%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$20.5K KWD 6,272

74.52%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$65.3 KWD 20.02

131.89%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$19.97 KWD 6.13

-34.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$32.72 KWD 10.04

-1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$102 KWD 31.42

-54.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$35.82 KWD 10.99

-51.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.84 KWD 3.32

-40.68%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$262 KWD 80.4

218.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,505 KWD 2,608

4.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$37.93 KWD 11.63

135.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$40.31 KWD 12.36

37.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$108 KWD 33.17

26.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$82.4 KWD 25.26

32.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$751 KWD 230

26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$503 KWD 154

32.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,552 KWD 476

30.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,397 KWD 428

-17.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.53

59.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Qairawan: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $751 in Qairawan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $66.0 in Qairawan. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $163 in Qairawan – so Qairawan 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 Qairawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,994 in Qairawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qairawan, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $66.0 in Qairawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $1,330 in Qairawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Qairawan, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Qairawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qairawan – 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 Qairawan. 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.