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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,322 in Salwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,259 in Salwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $3,195 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 25% lower, Salwa 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.89 KWD 3.04

-40.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$64.6 KWD 19.87

-48.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.43 KWD 1.98

15.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.86 KWD 1.80

-71.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.47 KWD 0.15

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.34 KWD 0.11

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-31.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.74 KWD 0.23

70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.81 KWD 0.25

70.37%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.07 KWD 0.64

5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.33 KWD 1.64

-15.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.42 KWD 1.98

-9.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.13 KWD 3.11

-11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.45 KWD 0.75

-5.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.81 KWD 0.56

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.85 KWD 0.26

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.68 KWD 0.21

66.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.33 KWD 0.41

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.46 KWD 0.14

95.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.85 KWD 0.88

-21.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.83 KWD 0.26

2.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$44.02 KWD 13.54

-5.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.21 KWD 0.99

-55.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.25 KWD 1.00

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$16.57 KWD 5.10

-52.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.34 KWD 0.10

191.18%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.9K KWD 6,439

-15.92%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$17.7K KWD 5,439

51.55%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$62.8 KWD 19.30

32.27%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.68 KWD 5.75

-48.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$26.12 KWD 8.04

-9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$94.5 KWD 29.07

-73.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$46.77 KWD 14.39

-59.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$11.27 KWD 3.47

-64.95%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$408 KWD 125

-22.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,527 KWD 2,008

-8.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$39.44 KWD 12.13

52.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$43.24 KWD 13.30

-26.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$81.3 KWD 25.02

25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$65.8 KWD 20.23

63.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$792 KWD 244

-40.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$609 KWD 187

-38.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,551 KWD 477

-45.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,287 KWD 396

-44.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$3,611 KWD 1,111

-82.71%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Salwa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $792 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 478% 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 $65.0 in Salwa. Groceries tell a different story – $193 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 32%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,984 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 $65.0 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,322 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 $1,003, than in Salwa at $1,322. 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.