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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,163 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,703 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,243 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 23% lower, Rabigh 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.10 SAR 15.36

44.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$20.94 SAR 78.5

56.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.16 SAR 26.84

0.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 SAR 3.10

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.47 SAR 9.26

-31.17%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.69 SAR 2.57

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.12 SAR 0.46

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-22.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.28 SAR 1.06

346.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.31 SAR 8.65

-39.83%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.21 SAR 8.29

2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.49 SAR 20.57

-21.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.83 SAR 18.11

20.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.63 SAR 47.36

-30.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.16 SAR 8.12

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.58 SAR 5.91

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.30 SAR 4.88

5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.24 SAR 4.65

-9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.60 SAR 2.23

51.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SAR 9.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-10.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-28.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$39.46 SAR 148

4.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.19 SAR 11.96

-54.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.90 SAR 7.12

0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$15.28 SAR 57.3

-47.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.63 SAR 2.37

49.21%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.4K SAR 99.1K

-32.19%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.7K SAR 81.3K

23.55%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$104 SAR 392

-19.59%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$31.74 SAR 119

-69.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$69.4 SAR 260

-65.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$89.3 SAR 335

-71.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$35.21 SAR 132

-45.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.26 SAR 49.72

-70.44%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$408 SAR 1,531

-24.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,568 SAR 24.6K

-9.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$63.9 SAR 240

-9.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$57.7 SAR 216

-44.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$95.2 SAR 357

4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$82.3 SAR 309

30.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$278 SAR 1,041

75.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$383 SAR 1,437

-3.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$531 SAR 1,990

55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$626 SAR 2,347

14.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,387 SAR 8,952

22.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,325 SAR 4,969

6.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $278 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,745 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,163 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 $1,034, than in Rabigh at $1,163. 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.