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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,080 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,638 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,196 in Qatif, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Qatif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Qatif is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.56 SAR 13.38

125.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$35.17 SAR 132

36.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.67 SAR 25.07

48.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.95 SAR 11.07

6.10%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.73 SAR 2.73

161.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.15 SAR 0.58

906.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.94 SAR 3.53

164.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-9.23%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.11 SAR 7.93

40.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.70 SAR 21.42

76.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$7.80 SAR 29.31

29.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.98 SAR 48.76

10.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.18 SAR 8.20

89.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.59 SAR 5.96

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.64 SAR 2.39

251.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.12 SAR 4.21

82.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.10 SAR 4.12

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.91 SAR 3.41

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.50 SAR 1.89

162.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.62 SAR 24.85

-41.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.04 SAR 3.91

17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$36.12 SAR 136

122.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-44.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.51 SAR 1.92

329.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$13.10 SAR 49.20

-33.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.61 SAR 2.30

124.59%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

-22.32%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

71.81%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$103 SAR 388

71.72%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$33.42 SAR 126

-58.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$58.3 SAR 219

-49.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$82.7 SAR 311

-45.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$37.55 SAR 141

-54.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$13.21 SAR 49.60

-49.66%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$270 SAR 1,015

200.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

17.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$31.48 SAR 118

184.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$20.90 SAR 78.5

182.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$94.6 SAR 355

46.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$90.4 SAR 340

12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$574 SAR 2,157

84.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$346 SAR 1,298

91.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$873 SAR 3,281

116.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$547 SAR 2,055

87.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$951 SAR 3,573

339.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$783 SAR 2,942

113.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,249 SAR 8,448

-69.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.5

98.91%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $574 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 232% higher in Qatif, 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 $35.00 in Qatif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $184 – making Qatif 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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,620 in Qatif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qatif, 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 $35.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,080 in Qatif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Qatif, where all-in costs run around $1,080, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Qatif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qatif – 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 Qatif. 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.