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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,087 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,707 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,328 in Qatif, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Qatif, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Qatif are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Qatif 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$3.44 SAR 12.93

71.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$47.42 SAR 178

-30.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-7.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.66 SAR 13.72

-54.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$0.77 SAR 2.91

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$0.26 SAR 0.97

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$0.81 SAR 3.04

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$2.03 SAR 7.64

-32.02%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$6.03 SAR 22.63

-25.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$7.38 SAR 27.72

-21.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$9.67 SAR 36.29

-7.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$2.12 SAR 7.95

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.48 SAR 5.56

-28.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$1.44 SAR 5.42

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$0.75 SAR 2.83

81.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.55 SAR 2.08

63.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$7.68 SAR 28.83

-70.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$39.26 SAR 147

6.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$3.12 SAR 11.71

-54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$1.63 SAR 6.13

19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$13.22 SAR 49.64

-40.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$0.65 SAR 2.43

52.31%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

-22.01%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

36.34%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$104 SAR 392

-20.40%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$37.20 SAR 140

-73.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$59.6 SAR 224

-60.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$94.2 SAR 354

-73.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$56.9 SAR 214

-66.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-74.28%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$405 SAR 1,521

-22.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

-26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$51.3 SAR 192

17.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$50.9 SAR 191

-37.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$91.5 SAR 343

11.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$85.8 SAR 322

25.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$360 SAR 1,351

31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$281 SAR 1,054

33.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$717 SAR 2,692

18.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$486 SAR 1,826

47.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

$949 SAR 3,562

244.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$796 SAR 2,990

80.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$2,248 SAR 8,439

-72.22%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Qatif: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $360 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 260% 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 – $193 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 8%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,630 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,087 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 $1,003, than in Qatif at $1,087. 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.