Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sharjah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sharjah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,865 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,636 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,406 in Sharjah, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Sharjah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sharjah sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Sharjah by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.05 AED 22.22

30.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$32.05 AED 118

38.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$8.20 AED 30.10

13.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.72 AED 35.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.50 AED 34.90

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.41 AED 12.52

-14.96%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.87 AED 3.20

108.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.29 AED 1.05

434.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.55 AED 5.71

-10.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.15 AED 4.24

113.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.85 AED 6.81

-18.38%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.83 AED 10.39

-1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$9.13 AED 33.52

-0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.92 AED 25.43

53.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$11.55 AED 42.43

26.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.15 AED 7.91

84.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.64 AED 6.02

-15.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.50 AED 5.51

53.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.32 AED 4.84

53.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.10 AED 4.03

90.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.14 AED 4.18

42.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.55 AED 5.69

-30.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.58 AED 2.13

115.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.78 AED 58.0

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 AED 9.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$6.55 AED 24.05

-38.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$2.20 AED 8.06

-46.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$41.36 AED 152

93.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.63 AED 13.31

-55.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.60 AED 2.19

255.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$11.74 AED 43.13

-27.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.90 AED 3.29

50.00%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$45.6K AED 167.6K

-37.94%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$21.9K AED 80.3K

63.31%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$225 AED 827

-32.76%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$49.27 AED 181

-73.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$94.8 AED 348

-65.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$54.7 AED 201

-15.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$22.35 AED 82.1

-22.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$13.60 AED 49.94

-52.72%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$308 AED 1,130

171.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,375 AED 30.8K

6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$58.8 AED 216

51.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$76.3 AED 280

-27.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$110 AED 403

24.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$93.3 AED 343

17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$761 AED 2,795

25.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$859 AED 3,155

-22.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,753 AED 6,436

15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,464 AED 5,378

-21.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$8,048 AED 29.6K

-54.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$2,705 AED 9,933

-41.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$2,191 AED 8,045

-71.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.5

131.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $761 in Sharjah. 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 250% higher in Sharjah, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $194 – making Sharjah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sharjah is pricier by about 11%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,798 in Sharjah. 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Sharjah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $1,865 in Sharjah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Sharjah at $1,865. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sharjah 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, Sharjah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.