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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Medellin is about 47% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Ras al-Khaimah is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$13.47 AED 49.46

-54.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$49.37 AED 181

-33.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.96 AED 25.56

5.46%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$5.55 AED 20.37

-69.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.32 AED 4.83

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.72 AED 2.63

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$10.87 AED 39.92

-84.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$10.05 AED 36.91

-68.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.57 AED 5.75

-33.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.45 AED 5.32

-10.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.70 AED 6.24

-17.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.21 AED 8.11

-2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.84 AED 47.15

-65.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.59 AED 27.87

-22.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$15.28 AED 56.1

-43.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.19 AED 8.03

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.76 AED 6.47

-36.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.51 AED 5.54

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.31 AED 4.80

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.97 AED 3.55

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.03 AED 3.80

9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.80 AED 6.60

-52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 AED 1.86

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$6.29 AED 23.10

-62.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.51 AED 49.60

-8.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.63 AED 9.67

-54.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.96 AED 10.87

-15.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$2.36 AED 8.68

-64.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$64.3 AED 236

-36.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.54 AED 5.65

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.93 AED 3.41

106.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.41 AED 30.90

-8.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.80 AED 2.93

23.75%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-61.02%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.4K AED 82.3K

18.79%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$149 AED 549

-45.91%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$45.04 AED 165

-77.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$101 AED 371

-76.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$56.3 AED 207

-55.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$41.13 AED 151

-53.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$13.44 AED 49.35

-70.39%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$248 AED 912

22.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,208 AED 19.1K

16.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$117 AED 430

-50.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$53.7 AED 197

-40.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$137 AED 502

-26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$136 AED 498

-20.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$718 AED 2,637

-33.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$783 AED 2,874

-51.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,994 AED 7,322

-57.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,512 AED 5,554

-51.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,828 AED 17.7K

-33.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,965 AED 7,217

-30.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,571 AED 5,770

-60.74%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $718 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 155% 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 88%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,914 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 $49.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,943 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 $1,031, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. 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.