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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,121 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,674 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,228 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 25% lower, Rabigh 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.04 SAR 15.17

46.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$21.35 SAR 80.2

54.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.26 SAR 27.25

2.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 SAR 2.90

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.42 SAR 9.08

-31.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.66 SAR 2.47

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.13 SAR 0.49

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.35 SAR 5.07

-18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.26 SAR 0.98

384.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.29 SAR 8.61

-39.74%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.20 SAR 8.25

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.23 SAR 19.64

-14.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.71 SAR 17.69

22.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.71 SAR 47.74

-29.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.12 SAR 7.96

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.35 SAR 5.07

0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.07 SAR 4.01

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.59 SAR 2.23

52.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.49

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SAR 9.50

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.63 SAR 9.86

-15.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.05 SAR 3.92

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$39.83 SAR 150

4.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.23 SAR 12.11

-56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.84 SAR 6.91

5.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-47.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.63 SAR 2.35

57.14%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

-34.53%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

25.22%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$107 SAR 403

-22.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$31.87 SAR 120

-69.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$70.1 SAR 263

-66.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$86.6 SAR 325

-70.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$35.88 SAR 135

-46.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$13.39 SAR 50.3

-70.50%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$402 SAR 1,509

-21.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

-6.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$64.7 SAR 243

-7.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$57.9 SAR 217

-45.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$94.2 SAR 354

7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$85.1 SAR 319

26.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$284 SAR 1,065

67.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$387 SAR 1,453

-3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$523 SAR 1,965

62.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$622 SAR 2,335

15.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

21.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,488 SAR 5,586

-3.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $284 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: $193 vs $163 – 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 12%, 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 $1,681 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,121 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 $1,003, than in Rabigh at $1,121. 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.