Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sakakah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sakakah: $1,223 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Sakakah
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Sakakah Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Sakakah

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,223

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Sakakah

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 Sakakah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $1,223 in Sakakah, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Sakakah $1,223

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $1,793 in Sakakah, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Sakakah $1,793

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $2,364 in Sakakah, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Sakakah $2,364

Medellin costs about 38% more than Sakakah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Sakakah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

$5.81 SAR 21.79

43.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.3K

$36.64 SAR 138

26.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

$7.81 SAR 29.29

21.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$3.65 SAR 13.69

-14.25%

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

$1.77 COP 5,705

$0.64 SAR 2.40

176.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,601

$0.34 SAR 1.28

317.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,950

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,401

$1.35 SAR 5.08

69.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,282

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-17.80%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,905

$2.38 SAR 8.94

28.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

$7.68 SAR 28.82

30.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

$6.77 SAR 25.42

54.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

$12.59 SAR 47.25

10.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

$2.22 SAR 8.33

82.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,937

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,797

$1.59 SAR 5.97

32.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,409

$1.56 SAR 5.85

46.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,813

$1.23 SAR 4.63

71.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,521

$1.32 SAR 4.95

29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,780

$1.19 SAR 4.45

-1.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,104

$0.53 SAR 1.98

198.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.37

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

$5.84 SAR 21.92

-33.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,690

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,760

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,811

$0.98 SAR 3.69

20.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.4K

$36.58 SAR 137

108.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,836

$2.81 SAR 10.55

-35.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,878

$1.73 SAR 6.50

23.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

$14.80 SAR 55.6

-45.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,119

$0.59 SAR 2.23

116.95%

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

$25.1K SAR 94.4K

36.98%

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

$34.1K COP 110.3M

$24.2K SAR 90.9K

40.97%

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

$178 COP 574.1K

$119 SAR 445

49.79%

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

$13.89 COP 44.9K

$37.42 SAR 140

-62.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.3K

$73.6 SAR 276

-58.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.5K

$79.1 SAR 297

-46.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

$11.94 SAR 44.80

-37.44%

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

$790 COP 2.6M

$380 SAR 1,426

107.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

$11.0K SAR 41.2K

12.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.9K

$38.10 SAR 143

126.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.4K

$59.7 SAR 224

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.9K

$101 SAR 379

37.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.2K

$80.6 SAR 303

22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$563 SAR 2,114

138.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$398 SAR 1,494

67.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$872 SAR 3,274

126.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$604 SAR 2,267

71.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

$1,840 SAR 6,905

122.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

$1,239 SAR 4,651

56.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$912 SAR 3,422

-29.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.54

97.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Sakakah

$398 32.6% 40.3% $269

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Sakakah

$197 16.1% 36% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Sakakah

$230 18.8% 3.3% $7.3

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Sakakah

$118 9.6% 31.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Sakakah

$126 10.3% 27% $47

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Sakakah

$52 4.3% 44.4% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Sakakah

$103 8.4% 81% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $563 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 41% higher in Sakakah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $37 in Sakakah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $197 – making Sakakah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇦 Sakakah

🕒 Local time

10:58 10:58 AM

18:58 6:58 PM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

242,813

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,628 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Medellin Sakakah 12,080 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Sakakah

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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $1,834 in Sakakah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sakakah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $563 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $37 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 $1,692 in Medellin and $1,223 in Sakakah. That makes Sakakah about 28% cheaper.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sakakah, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Sakakah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sakakah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Sakakah is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 28% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.