Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,245 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,132 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Sabah Al Salem is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.70 KWD 2.39

-20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$58.1 KWD 17.99

-43.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.41 KWD 2.61

-12.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 KWD 1.06

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.28 KWD 1.63

-67.42%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.60 KWD 0.19

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.36 KWD 0.11

113.89%

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

$1.49 KWD 0.46

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.06 KWD 0.33

22.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-18.60%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.05 KWD 0.64

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.37 KWD 1.35

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.41 KWD 1.99

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.76 KWD 3.03

-11.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.32 KWD 0.72

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.60 KWD 0.50

-30.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.52 KWD 0.47

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.35 KWD 0.42

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.22 KWD 0.38

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.15 KWD 0.36

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-47.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.42 KWD 0.13

116.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.00 KWD 0.93

-22.00%

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

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$43.89 KWD 13.60

-7.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.25 KWD 1.01

-56.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.33 KWD 1.03

-42.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$16.23 KWD 5.03

-52.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.36 KWD 0.11

175.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.7K KWD 6,425

-13.04%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.3K KWD 5,995

37.64%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$62.2 KWD 19.26

30.02%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.37 KWD 5.69

-45.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.42 KWD 7.88

-4.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$92.2 KWD 28.58

-72.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$46.49 KWD 14.41

-58.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.23 KWD 3.48

-64.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$282 KWD 87.5

8.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,129 KWD 1,899

-1.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.43 KWD 12.84

40.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$41.70 KWD 12.92

-22.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.1 KWD 27.00

15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$80.5 KWD 24.95

33.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$808 KWD 251

-41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$619 KWD 192

-39.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,591 KWD 493

-46.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,289 KWD 399

-43.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,998 KWD 929

-79.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.14

88.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $808 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 386% higher in Sabah Al Salem, 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 $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $167 in Sabah Al Salem – so Sabah Al Salem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabah Al Salem is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,037 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 Sabah Al Salem at $1,358. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem 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, Sabah Al Salem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.