Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saham Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $817 in Saham, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,208 in Saham, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,598 in Saham, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Saham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Saham are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Saham 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$5.14 OMR 1.98

16.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$25.89 OMR 9.97

26.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$8.01 OMR 3.08

-11.49%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.79 OMR 1.84

-64.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$1.02 OMR 0.39

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.32 OMR 0.12

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$12.45 OMR 4.79

-86.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$11.67 OMR 4.49

-73.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.92 OMR 0.74

-43.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.18 OMR 0.45

6.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.67 OMR 0.64

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.68 OMR 1.42

19.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$4.97 OMR 1.91

13.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$8.41 OMR 3.24

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.60 OMR 1.00

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-38.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.14 OMR 0.44

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.96 OMR 0.37

19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.97 OMR 0.37

19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.56 OMR 0.22

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$6.48 OMR 2.50

-64.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.43 OMR 5.94

-31.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$4.20 OMR 1.62

-71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$7.98 OMR 3.07

-69.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-53.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.82 OMR 0.31

139.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$10.30 OMR 3.96

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.60 OMR 0.23

58.33%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$23.2K OMR 8,926

-21.79%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$21.3K OMR 8,198

24.38%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$106 OMR 40.72

-22.24%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$40.95 OMR 15.76

-76.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$70.5 OMR 27.13

-65.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-61.99%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$193 OMR 74.2

60.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$10.0K OMR 3,865

-40.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$50.9 OMR 19.59

15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$38.91 OMR 14.98

-16.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$80.5 OMR 30.97

27.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$89.4 OMR 34.40

21.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.15

160.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saham: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Saham. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $229 in Saham – so Medellin 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 Saham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,226 in Saham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Saham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saham, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Saham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saham – 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 Saham. 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.