Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ruwi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $639 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ruwi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ruwi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $639 in Ruwi, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Ruwi $639

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Ruwi, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Ruwi $833

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,028 in Ruwi, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Ruwi $1,028

Medellin costs about 153% more than Ruwi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Ruwi is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$1.99 OMR 0.77

-27.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$1.98 OMR 0.76

19.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$0.99 OMR 0.38

69.70%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$1.17 OMR 0.45

144.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$2.03 OMR 0.78

401.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$2.05 OMR 0.79

364.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$4.93 OMR 1.90

184.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$0.98 OMR 0.38

315.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$1.02 OMR 0.39

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$1.02 OMR 0.39

112.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$1.03 OMR 0.40

124.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$0.99 OMR 0.38

94.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$0.98 OMR 0.38

15.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$1.02 OMR 0.39

22.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

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

$172 COP 545.6K

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$25.53 OMR 9.83

-47.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$79.3 OMR 30.55

-63.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$8.97 OMR 3.45

-29.99%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$396 OMR 152

166.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$397 OMR 153

55.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$901 OMR 347

109.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$581 OMR 224

75.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$4,398 OMR 1,693

-85.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Ruwi

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Ruwi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Ruwi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Ruwi

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Ruwi

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Ruwi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Ruwi

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $396 in Ruwi. 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 574% higher in Ruwi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

12:41 12:41 PM

9 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Ruwi 14,030 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Ruwi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 153%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $958 in Ruwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ruwi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $639 in Ruwi. That's a gap of about 153%.

Groceries cost about 148% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ruwi, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Ruwi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ruwi – 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 Ruwi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.