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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,334 in Salwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,230 in Salwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,126 in Salwa, rent included.

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Salwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Salwa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Salwa 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.55 KWD 2.93

-37.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$65.9 KWD 20.25

-49.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.50 KWD 2.00

11.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 KWD 1.13

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.97 KWD 1.83

-72.70%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.48 KWD 0.15

127.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.31 KWD 0.10

135.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-33.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.75 KWD 0.23

72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.85 KWD 0.26

55.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.98 KWD 0.61

14.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.22 KWD 1.60

-16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.53 KWD 2.01

-9.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.19 KWD 3.13

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.37 KWD 0.73

-5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-43.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.79 KWD 0.24

79.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.62 KWD 0.19

88.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.33 KWD 0.41

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-45.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.48 KWD 0.15

87.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.86 KWD 0.88

-21.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.84 KWD 0.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$44.56 KWD 13.69

-5.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$16.58 KWD 5.09

-53.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.37 KWD 0.11

172.97%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.2K KWD 6,505

-16.98%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$17.9K KWD 5,486

48.37%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$61.5 KWD 18.89

36.04%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.68 KWD 5.74

-49.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.15 KWD 8.03

-7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$93.7 KWD 28.77

-72.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$45.41 KWD 13.95

-57.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$11.32 KWD 3.48

-63.78%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$404 KWD 124

-22.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,673 KWD 2,050

-10.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$39.04 KWD 11.99

48.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.38 KWD 13.02

-23.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$82.8 KWD 25.44

20.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$64.5 KWD 19.83

68.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$797 KWD 245

-39.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$621 KWD 191

-38.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,580 KWD 485

-47.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,313 KWD 403

-44.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$3,495 KWD 1,074

-84.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Salwa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $797 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 546% 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 31%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,001 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,334 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 $1,017, than in Salwa at $1,334. 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.