Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,739 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,521 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,304 in Riyadh, rent included.

Medellin is about 42% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Riyadh is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-27.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$53.0 SAR 199

-37.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-12.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-58.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.71 SAR 2.66

54.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.29 SAR 1.07

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-41.28%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-49.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-43.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-38.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-39.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-18.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.53 SAR 5.73

-9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-21.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-38.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.53 SAR 1.99

58.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-69.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-21.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$36.73 SAR 138

12.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-55.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.85 SAR 6.95

5.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-42.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.63 SAR 2.36

50.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

-46.86%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

13.09%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$104 SAR 391

-21.05%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$34.25 SAR 129

-72.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$77.0 SAR 289

-68.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$105 SAR 394

-75.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$58.3 SAR 219

-67.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-75.70%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$457 SAR 1,716

-32.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-38.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$59.5 SAR 223

-1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$64.1 SAR 241

-49.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$107 SAR 400

-3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$100 SAR 376

8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,072 SAR 4,024

-55.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$841 SAR 3,158

-54.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-58.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,090 SAR 4,093

-33.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-9.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,931 SAR 7,247

-37.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,252 SAR 8,453

-77.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.31

152.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,072 in Riyadh. 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 340% higher in Riyadh, 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 $53.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $226 – 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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riyadh is pricier by about 72%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,608 in Riyadh. 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 $53.0 in Riyadh. 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 $1,739 in Riyadh. 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 Riyadh at $1,739. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh 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, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.