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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,378 in Shaab, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,321 in Shaab, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,263 in Shaab, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Shaab, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Shaab is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.09 KWD 3.12

-40.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$81.4 KWD 25.14

-59.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.76 KWD 2.71

-19.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 KWD 1.11

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.86 KWD 1.81

-70.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.68 KWD 0.21

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.38 KWD 0.12

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-32.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.24 KWD 0.38

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.73 KWD 0.53

-20.23%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.09 KWD 0.64

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.17 KWD 1.59

-14.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.59 KWD 2.04

-14.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.23 KWD 3.16

-13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.46 KWD 0.76

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-43.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-16.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.50 KWD 0.46

-8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.24 KWD 0.38

-7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.26 KWD 0.39

-7.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.45 KWD 0.14

86.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.02

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)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.99 KWD 0.92

-23.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$45.00 KWD 13.90

-8.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$3.30 KWD 1.02

-55.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.26 KWD 1.01

-39.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$16.30 KWD 5.03

-52.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.36 KWD 0.11

163.89%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$21.3K KWD 6,569

-14.77%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$19.9K KWD 6,156

32.86%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$62.6 KWD 19.33

31.39%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.95 KWD 5.85

-49.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$25.89 KWD 7.99

-6.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$94.5 KWD 29.17

-72.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$45.50 KWD 14.05

-58.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.52 KWD 3.56

-65.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$407 KWD 126

-24.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,485 KWD 2,003

-8.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$42.61 KWD 13.16

37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$42.28 KWD 13.06

-23.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$86.1 KWD 26.59

19.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$81.1 KWD 25.03

33.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$779 KWD 241

-38.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$605 KWD 187

-37.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,547 KWD 478

-45.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,269 KWD 392

-42.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,219 KWD 994

-84.10%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shaab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $779 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 529% higher in Shaab, 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 $81.0 in Shaab. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $179 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 – Shaab is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,067 in Shaab. 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 $81.0 in Shaab. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,378 in Shaab. 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 $1,013, than in Shaab at $1,378. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shaab 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, Shaab makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.