Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qatif Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qatif

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,059 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,673 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,288 in Qatif, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Qatif, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Qatif are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Qatif 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.41 SAR 12.81

74.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$47.01 SAR 176

-29.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.87 SAR 29.55

-8.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.55 SAR 13.31

-54.08%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.82 SAR 3.07

32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.26 SAR 0.98

180.77%

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

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.81 SAR 3.02

59.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.01 SAR 7.53

-34.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.33 SAR 8.73

-2.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.30 SAR 23.62

-30.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.15 SAR 26.82

-17.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.02 SAR 37.61

-14.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.09 SAR 7.83

7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.47 SAR 5.51

-27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.40 SAR 5.27

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.70 SAR 2.64

102.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.38 SAR 5.16

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.15 SAR 4.30

-22.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.51 SAR 1.90

76.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$7.82 SAR 29.33

-71.23%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$39.34 SAR 148

6.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.26 SAR 12.24

-56.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.61 SAR 6.06

18.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.20 SAR 49.52

-41.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.60 SAR 2.26

68.33%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-20.99%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

34.07%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$105 SAR 396

-20.62%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$36.22 SAR 136

-73.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$61.0 SAR 229

-60.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$95.3 SAR 358

-73.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$57.3 SAR 215

-66.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$15.49 SAR 58.1

-73.53%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$393 SAR 1,476

-20.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

-28.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$52.8 SAR 198

10.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$51.1 SAR 192

-36.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$91.3 SAR 343

9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$86.2 SAR 323

25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$361 SAR 1,355

33.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$290 SAR 1,088

30.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$695 SAR 2,606

20.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$483 SAR 1,811

49.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$963 SAR 3,612

195.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$780 SAR 2,927

56.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,308 SAR 8,661

-76.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.33

210.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Qatif: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $361 in Qatif. 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 327% higher in Qatif, 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 $47.00 in Qatif. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $173 in Qatif – so Qatif 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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Qatif is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,589 in Qatif. 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 $47.00 in Qatif. 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 $1,059 in Qatif. 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 Qatif at $1,059. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qatif 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, Qatif makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.