Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ras al-Khaimah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ras al-Khaimah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,021 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $4,093 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Ras al-Khaimah is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$13.55 AED 49.77

-55.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$49.69 AED 183

-33.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.61 AED 24.26

7.26%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$5.63 AED 20.67

-69.63%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.32 AED 4.83

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.68 AED 2.49

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$10.99 AED 40.37

-84.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$10.23 AED 37.59

-69.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.63 AED 6.00

-33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.47 AED 5.39

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.72 AED 6.31

-19.77%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.31 AED 8.49

-5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.89 AED 47.33

-65.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.63 AED 28.02

-26.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$15.03 AED 55.2

-40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.21 AED 8.13

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.80 AED 6.61

-41.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.50 AED 5.50

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.26 AED 4.62

9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.96 AED 3.53

19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.00 AED 3.67

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.76 AED 6.45

-49.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.50 AED 1.83

68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$6.45 AED 23.68

-64.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.55 AED 49.77

-21.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.64 AED 9.70

-54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.88 AED 10.56

-14.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$2.34 AED 8.61

-63.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$63.0 AED 231

-34.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.46 AED 5.35

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.94 AED 3.45

108.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.38 AED 30.78

-7.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.75 AED 2.76

26.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$44.9K AED 164.8K

-59.59%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.8K AED 83.8K

16.06%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$148 AED 544

-44.47%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$44.24 AED 162

-78.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$99.6 AED 366

-75.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$56.2 AED 207

-53.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$40.33 AED 148

-52.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$13.35 AED 49.02

-70.56%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$244 AED 895

26.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,084 AED 18.7K

17.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$116 AED 426

-49.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$53.5 AED 196

-39.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$137 AED 503

-25.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$136 AED 500

-20.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$720 AED 2,644

-33.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$765 AED 2,810

-50.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,972 AED 7,241

-57.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,524 AED 5,599

-52.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$4,839 AED 17.8K

-42.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,944 AED 7,139

-37.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,605 AED 5,896

-68.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.88

175.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $720 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 214% higher in Ras al-Khaimah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $267 – making Medellin 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 Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,922 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 $1,013, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,948. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah 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, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.