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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,758 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,475 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,192 in Riyadh, rent included.

Medellin is about 41% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Riyadh is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.19 SAR 30.75

-24.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$53.9 SAR 202

-39.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-7.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.98 SAR 14.93

-56.78%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.77 SAR 2.88

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.31 SAR 1.17

148.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-37.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-2.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-40.68%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-48.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-40.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-40.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-36.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-22.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-40.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 SAR 1.94

75.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-68.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$36.88 SAR 138

10.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-55.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.84 SAR 6.93

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-41.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.64 SAR 2.39

54.69%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-48.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

13.57%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$106 SAR 398

-23.67%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$35.14 SAR 132

-71.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$76.9 SAR 289

-68.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$106 SAR 399

-76.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$59.9 SAR 225

-68.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-75.46%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$465 SAR 1,747

-34.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-36.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$58.3 SAR 219

-0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$65.1 SAR 244

-50.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$110 SAR 413

-8.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$101 SAR 378

7.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-57.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$843 SAR 3,164

-55.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,026 SAR 7,607

-58.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-35.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

10.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-29.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-69.47%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,110 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 228% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $225 – 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 71%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,637 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 $54.0 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,758 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 $1,031, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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.