Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shaab Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shaab

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,360 in Shaab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,273 in Shaab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,186 in Shaab, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Shaab is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$13.13 KWD 4.03

-38.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$65.1 KWD 19.96

-25.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.65 KWD 2.65

8.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.40 KWD 1.65

-45.56%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.70 KWD 0.21

165.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.34 KWD 0.11

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.52 KWD 0.47

57.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-13.27%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.06 KWD 0.63

40.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$4.47 KWD 1.37

125.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.58 KWD 2.02

51.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.40 KWD 3.19

36.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.45 KWD 0.75

62.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.85 KWD 0.57

-14.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.82 KWD 0.56

18.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.50 KWD 0.46

53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.39 KWD 0.43

43.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.48 KWD 0.45

2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.29 KWD 0.70

-47.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.54 KWD 0.17

137.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.15 KWD 0.96

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.82 KWD 0.86

36.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.84 KWD 0.26

48.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$4.81 KWD 1.47

-72.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-31.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$16.44 KWD 5.04

-49.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.33 KWD 0.10

312.12%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.1K KWD 6,484

29.90%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$20.4K KWD 6,249

79.26%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$65.7 KWD 20.16

156.65%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$22.73 KWD 6.97

-40.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$30.56 KWD 9.37

-7.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$96.2 KWD 29.49

-52.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$11.43 KWD 3.50

-41.82%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$304 KWD 93.1

164.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$9,545 KWD 2,927

-3.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$38.16 KWD 11.70

128.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$40.02 KWD 12.27

48.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$100.0 KWD 30.65

38.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$88.1 KWD 27.00

15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$720 KWD 221

48.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$590 KWD 181

10.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,750 KWD 536

10.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,326 KWD 407

-21.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,181 KWD 975

-79.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.53

67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Shaab: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $720 in Shaab. 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 386% higher in Shaab, 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 $65.0 in Shaab. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $186 in Shaab – so Shaab 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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,040 in Shaab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shaab, 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 $65.0 in Shaab. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shaab, where all-in costs run around $1,360, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Shaab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shaab – 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 Shaab. 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.