Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,290 in Sanad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,019 in Sanad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,748 in Sanad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Sanad, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sanad is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.59 BHD 2.48

21.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$54.0 BHD 20.36

-11.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.34 BHD 2.77

34.74%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.79 BHD 1.80

-34.66%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.84 BHD 0.32

127.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.30 BHD 0.11

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$6.50 BHD 2.45

-52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$10.24 BHD 3.86

-43.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.47 BHD 0.55

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.05 BHD 0.40

137.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.31 BHD 0.87

28.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.83 BHD 3.33

14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.46 BHD 2.43

56.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.54 BHD 3.22

67.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.32 BHD 0.87

78.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.24 BHD 0.84

-28.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.86 BHD 0.70

20.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.46 BHD 0.55

54.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.06 BHD 0.40

92.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.37 BHD 0.51

12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.51 BHD 0.57

-22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.79 BHD 0.30

65.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.44 BHD 2.05

-28.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$18.51 BHD 6.98

-24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.55 BHD 1.34

-50.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.60 BHD 0.98

10.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.38 BHD 2.03

-75.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.53 BHD 1.33

-37.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$16.13 BHD 6.08

-46.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.70 BHD 0.26

95.71%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$36.7K BHD 13.8K

-24.22%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$20.3K BHD 7,668

75.83%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$155 BHD 58.3

14.54%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$16.00 BHD 6.03

-13.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$34.88 BHD 13.15

-14.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$80.4 BHD 30.30

-44.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.54 BHD 3.97

-36.91%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$483 BHD 182

68.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$11.1K BHD 4,179

-17.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$50.2 BHD 18.92

78.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$56.7 BHD 21.38

3.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$88.0 BHD 33.15

57.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$89.1 BHD 33.60

14.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$653 BHD 246

62.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$404 BHD 152

64.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,346 BHD 507

40.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$787 BHD 297

30.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,207 BHD 455

-43.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.21

76.17%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sanad: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $653 in Sanad. 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 78% higher in Sanad, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Sanad. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $249 in Sanad – so Sanad 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 Sanad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,935 in Sanad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanad, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $54.0 in Sanad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanad, where all-in costs run around $1,290, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sanad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanad – 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 Sanad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.