Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Salwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Salwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,346 in Salwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,259 in Salwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,173 in Salwa, rent included.

Medellin is about 23% cheaper than Salwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Salwa is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$9.64 KWD 2.97

-38.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$65.9 KWD 20.30

-50.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$6.70 KWD 2.06

7.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 KWD 1.15

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$5.90 KWD 1.82

-71.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.51 KWD 0.16

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.34 KWD 0.11

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.57 KWD 0.48

-32.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.74 KWD 0.23

68.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$0.86 KWD 0.26

61.63%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.06 KWD 0.64

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$5.14 KWD 1.58

-15.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$6.68 KWD 2.06

-12.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$10.16 KWD 3.13

-13.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.37 KWD 0.73

-5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.87 KWD 0.58

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.74 KWD 0.54

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$0.79 KWD 0.24

73.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.67 KWD 0.21

68.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-11.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-47.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.46 KWD 0.14

97.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.82 KWD 0.87

-17.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.83 KWD 0.25

-4.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$44.06 KWD 13.57

-6.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$3.19 KWD 0.98

-54.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$3.17 KWD 0.98

-39.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$16.21 KWD 4.99

-50.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.36 KWD 0.11

161.11%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$21.2K KWD 6,543

-15.63%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$18.2K KWD 5,599

47.38%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$63.7 KWD 19.60

31.91%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$18.54 KWD 5.71

-48.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$25.57 KWD 7.88

-5.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$92.9 KWD 28.60

-72.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$46.94 KWD 14.46

-59.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$11.66 KWD 3.59

-66.38%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$399 KWD 123

-23.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$6,542 KWD 2,015

-9.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$38.45 KWD 11.84

50.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$43.14 KWD 13.29

-26.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$81.4 KWD 25.07

22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$65.2 KWD 20.07

64.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$781 KWD 241

-37.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$606 KWD 187

-39.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,555 KWD 479

-46.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,265 KWD 390

-43.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,537 KWD 1,089

-84.58%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Salwa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $781 in Salwa. 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 548% higher in Salwa, 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 $66.0 in Salwa. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $165 in Salwa – so Salwa 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 Salwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salwa is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,018 in Salwa. 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 $66.0 in Salwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,346 in Salwa. 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 $1,034, than in Salwa at $1,346. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salwa 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, Salwa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.