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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,544 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,237 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,930 in Sharjah, rent included.

Medellin is about 33% cheaper than Sharjah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Sharjah is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.59 AED 20.55

7.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$32.42 AED 119

1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$9.25 AED 33.96

-19.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.74 AED 35.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.90

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$4.40 AED 16.15

-62.50%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.99 AED 3.64

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 AED 1.37

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.68 AED 6.17

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.14 AED 4.19

14.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.04 AED 7.49

-34.31%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.76 AED 10.15

-20.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$10.12 AED 37.17

-56.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.73 AED 24.70

-15.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$8.72 AED 32.03

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.91 AED 7.00

22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.55 AED 5.68

-28.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.48 AED 5.44

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.22 AED 4.46

12.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.04 AED 3.81

10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.23 AED 4.52

-4.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.44 AED 5.30

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.59 AED 2.17

45.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.67 AED 57.6

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 AED 7.19

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 AED 12.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$6.36 AED 23.36

-64.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.59 AED 5.82

-50.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$41.41 AED 152

-1.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$3.65 AED 13.42

-59.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.65 AED 2.39

195.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$4.86 AED 17.85

59.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.81 AED 2.98

24.69%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$45.4K AED 166.7K

-61.10%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$22.2K AED 81.7K

18.97%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$199 AED 731

-59.28%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$65.1 AED 239

-85.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$103 AED 378

-76.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$63.4 AED 233

-58.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$37.45 AED 138

-50.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$13.04 AED 47.91

-68.63%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$280 AED 1,027

12.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,073 AED 22.3K

-0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$51.3 AED 189

16.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$98.6 AED 362

-67.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$95.7 AED 351

5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$82.5 AED 303

27.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$761 AED 2,795

-36.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$603 AED 2,213

-39.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,647 AED 6,050

-49.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,020 AED 3,747

-28.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$8,260 AED 30.3K

-63.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$2,673 AED 9,816

-50.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$2,217 AED 8,143

-75.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.42

203.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 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 303% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $187 – 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 50%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,316 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 $33.00 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $1,544 in Sharjah. 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 $1,028, than in Sharjah at $1,544. 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.