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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,055 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,678 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,301 in Qatif, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Qatif, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Qatif are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Qatif 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.39 SAR 12.71

74.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$48.21 SAR 181

-32.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.10 SAR 30.38

-11.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.53 SAR 13.23

-51.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.77 SAR 2.89

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.26 SAR 0.97

176.92%

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

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.80 SAR 3.01

56.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-33.81%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.33 SAR 8.73

-3.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.20 SAR 23.26

-30.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.16 SAR 26.83

-18.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.02 SAR 37.58

-11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.14 SAR 8.01

4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.54 SAR 5.76

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.44 SAR 5.38

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.72 SAR 2.68

90.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.28 SAR 4.78

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.11 SAR 4.15

-23.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.51 SAR 1.90

78.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.51 SAR 28.17

-68.97%

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 4.08

-27.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$39.91 SAR 150

3.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.12 SAR 11.71

-53.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.57 SAR 5.88

21.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$13.41 SAR 50.3

-40.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.63 SAR 2.37

49.21%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

-20.26%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

36.63%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$103 SAR 387

-18.68%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$37.05 SAR 139

-74.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$58.9 SAR 221

-59.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$95.3 SAR 357

-72.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$57.2 SAR 214

-66.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$15.22 SAR 57.1

-74.24%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$392 SAR 1,470

-21.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,106 SAR 30.4K

-26.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$52.4 SAR 196

10.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$50.8 SAR 190

-37.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$91.5 SAR 343

9.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$85.4 SAR 320

25.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$356 SAR 1,333

36.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$282 SAR 1,058

30.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$710 SAR 2,661

16.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$495 SAR 1,855

44.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$943 SAR 3,537

210.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$776 SAR 2,910

81.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,869 SAR 7,009

-70.81%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Qatif: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $356 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 243% 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 $48.00 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 2%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,583 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 $48.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,055 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 $1,034, than in Qatif at $1,055. 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.