Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sakakah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sakakah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,165 in Sakakah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,656 in Sakakah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,147 in Sakakah, rent included.

Medellin is about 13% cheaper than Sakakah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Sakakah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sakakah 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.70 SAR 21.39

5.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$44.82 SAR 168

-26.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.88 SAR 29.56

-10.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.65 SAR 13.70

-53.15%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.70 SAR 2.64

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.31 SAR 1.18

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-33.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.98 SAR 3.69

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.39 SAR 8.96

-42.26%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.78 SAR 25.43

-35.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.27 SAR 27.27

-22.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.25 SAR 49.71

-32.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.16 SAR 8.11

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.59 SAR 5.98

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-13.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.27 SAR 4.78

-9.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.28 SAR 4.81

-9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-25.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.59 SAR 2.21

42.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$6.89 SAR 25.88

-66.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-21.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$39.76 SAR 149

4.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.61 SAR 9.79

-43.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.84 SAR 6.92

6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.36 SAR 50.1

-42.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.58 SAR 2.19

63.79%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

-32.34%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

20.78%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$105 SAR 392

-21.29%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$33.71 SAR 127

-71.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$72.8 SAR 273

-66.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$60.1 SAR 226

-56.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$35.30 SAR 132

-46.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.38 SAR 57.7

-74.45%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$357 SAR 1,339

-13.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,040 SAR 26.4K

-15.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$60.4 SAR 227

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$61.0 SAR 229

-47.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$78.1 SAR 293

31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$80.7 SAR 303

34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$225 SAR 846

111.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$384 SAR 1,441

-1.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$344 SAR 1,291

143.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$301 SAR 1,131

140.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,070 SAR 7,767

34.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,481 SAR 5,559

-18.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$918 SAR 3,446

-44.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.42

203.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $225 in Sakakah. 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 79% higher in Sakakah, 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 $45.00 in Sakakah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $196 – 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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sakakah is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,747 in Sakakah. 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 $45.00 in Sakakah. 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 $1,165 in Sakakah. 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 Sakakah at $1,165. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sakakah 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, Sakakah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.