Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shuwaikh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shuwaikh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,365 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,339 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $3,312 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

Medellin is about 25% cheaper than Shuwaikh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Shuwaikh is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$9.93 KWD 3.05

-39.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$80.2 KWD 24.62

-59.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.94 KWD 2.74

-17.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$6.10 KWD 1.87

-72.95%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.65 KWD 0.20

64.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 KWD 0.11

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

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.25 KWD 0.38

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.76 KWD 0.54

-23.86%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.09 KWD 0.64

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$5.14 KWD 1.58

-14.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.38 KWD 1.96

-10.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$10.42 KWD 3.20

-18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.43 KWD 0.75

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-41.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.80 KWD 0.55

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.45 KWD 0.44

-5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.29 KWD 0.40

-10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.31 KWD 0.40

-9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-48.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.46 KWD 0.14

86.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.91 KWD 0.89

-22.34%

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

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$43.58 KWD 13.37

-6.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$3.30 KWD 1.01

-55.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-39.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$16.36 KWD 5.02

-52.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.36 KWD 0.11

180.56%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$21.2K KWD 6,492

-16.53%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.2K KWD 6,194

31.07%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$63.4 KWD 19.47

27.84%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$18.31 KWD 5.62

-48.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$26.08 KWD 8.00

-8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$94.4 KWD 28.97

-72.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$47.20 KWD 14.49

-60.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$11.22 KWD 3.44

-63.55%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$399 KWD 123

-21.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,624 KWD 2,033

-9.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$41.57 KWD 12.76

43.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$42.79 KWD 13.13

-25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$88.2 KWD 27.07

14.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$82.7 KWD 25.37

27.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$794 KWD 244

-38.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$616 KWD 189

-40.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,562 KWD 479

-47.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,268 KWD 389

-42.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$4,296 KWD 1,319

-87.18%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Shuwaikh: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $794 in Shuwaikh. 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 680% higher in Shuwaikh, 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 $80.0 in Shuwaikh. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $179 in Shuwaikh – so Shuwaikh 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 Shuwaikh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shuwaikh is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,048 in Shuwaikh. 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 $80.0 in Shuwaikh. 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 $1,365 in Shuwaikh. 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 Shuwaikh at $1,365. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shuwaikh 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, Shuwaikh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.