Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rabigh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rabigh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,076 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,745 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,415 in Rabigh, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$6.84 SAR 25.69

17.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$52.5 SAR 197

-8.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.47 SAR 31.81

16.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SAR 9.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.91

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.70 SAR 13.91

-15.41%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.01 SAR 3.81

89.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.24 SAR 0.89

529.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.28 SAR 4.80

94.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.37 SAR 8.90

24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$6.37 SAR 23.94

58.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$8.11 SAR 30.46

24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$12.89 SAR 48.42

10.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.09 SAR 7.84

98.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.75 SAR 6.59

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.56 SAR 5.85

44.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.68 SAR 6.32

33.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.13 SAR 4.25

80.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.28 SAR 4.82

20.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.11 SAR 4.18

5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.53 SAR 1.99

147.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 16.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.75 SAR 25.36

-42.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.09 SAR 4.09

11.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$35.79 SAR 134

124.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$3.27 SAR 12.27

-59.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.75 SAR 6.57

25.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$13.66 SAR 51.3

-36.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.64 SAR 2.39

114.06%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$47.5K SAR 178.4K

-41.38%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$21.3K SAR 80.2K

67.56%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$101 SAR 381

74.94%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$38.20 SAR 143

-63.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$66.7 SAR 250

-55.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$79.2 SAR 298

-43.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$37.44 SAR 141

-54.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$12.03 SAR 45.20

-44.72%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$746 SAR 2,800

9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$16.2K SAR 60.8K

-43.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$69.3 SAR 260

29.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$61.2 SAR 230

-3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$97.9 SAR 368

41.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$96.7 SAR 363

5.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$331 SAR 1,244

220.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$235 SAR 884

181.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$616 SAR 2,313

206.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$431 SAR 1,618

138.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,648 SAR 9,946

57.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,312 SAR 4,928

27.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.39

102.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $331 in Rabigh. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Rabigh. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $199 in Rabigh – so Rabigh 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 Rabigh: 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 $1,614 in Rabigh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rabigh, 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 $52.0 in Rabigh. 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 $1,076 in Rabigh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rabigh, where all-in costs run around $1,076, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Rabigh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabigh – 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 Rabigh. 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.