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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,667 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,186 in Rabigh, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Rabigh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Rabigh are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Rabigh 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.90 SAR 14.63

52.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.09 SAR 79.1

58.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.15 SAR 26.82

1.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.42 SAR 9.06

-32.64%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.64 SAR 2.39

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.11 SAR 0.42

563.64%

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

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.28 SAR 1.06

360.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-43.59%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.22 SAR 8.32

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.48 SAR 20.56

-20.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.94 SAR 18.55

19.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.57 SAR 47.16

-31.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.18 SAR 8.17

3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.60 SAR 6.00

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.58 SAR 5.92

-3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.30 SAR 4.87

9.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-12.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.25 SAR 4.70

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.56 SAR 2.09

60.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-17.28%

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

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$40.05 SAR 150

4.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.29 SAR 12.36

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.82 SAR 6.84

4.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-48.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.59 SAR 2.23

71.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-35.07%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

20.08%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$107 SAR 402

-21.88%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$32.50 SAR 122

-70.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$69.0 SAR 259

-65.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$87.0 SAR 326

-70.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$35.38 SAR 133

-45.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-69.72%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$401 SAR 1,504

-22.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

-6.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$63.6 SAR 239

-8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$58.4 SAR 219

-44.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$93.5 SAR 351

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$82.9 SAR 311

30.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$282 SAR 1,059

70.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$382 SAR 1,434

-0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$523 SAR 1,962

60.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$620 SAR 2,326

16.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,005 SAR 7,525

41.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,394 SAR 5,231

-12.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $282 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Rabigh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $164 – making Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rabigh is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,722 in Rabigh. 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 $21.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,148 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Rabigh at $1,148. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabigh 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, Rabigh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.