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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,388 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,344 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,300 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Shuwaikh is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.86 KWD 3.03

-39.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$81.8 KWD 25.12

-59.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.77 KWD 2.69

-17.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.98 KWD 1.83

-71.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.70 KWD 0.21

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.37 KWD 0.11

94.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-32.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.25 KWD 0.38

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-22.35%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.09 KWD 0.64

8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.32 KWD 1.63

-18.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.34 KWD 1.95

-7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.30 KWD 3.16

-14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.37 KWD 0.73

-5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.87 KWD 0.58

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.79 KWD 0.55

-14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-4.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.22 KWD 0.37

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.25 KWD 0.38

-10.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-47.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.49 KWD 0.15

85.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.89 KWD 0.89

-19.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$43.34 KWD 13.30

-5.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.35 KWD 1.03

-57.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-39.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$16.40 KWD 5.03

-51.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.33 KWD 0.10

184.85%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.9K KWD 6,408

-14.14%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.0K KWD 6,136

34.05%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$61.4 KWD 18.85

36.74%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.84 KWD 5.78

-49.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$25.84 KWD 7.93

-6.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$92.2 KWD 28.30

-71.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$47.11 KWD 14.46

-59.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$11.29 KWD 3.47

-65.28%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$410 KWD 126

-25.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,614 KWD 2,031

-10.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.12 KWD 12.93

37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$43.17 KWD 13.25

-26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$87.4 KWD 26.82

14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$83.0 KWD 25.48

29.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$795 KWD 244

-38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$617 KWD 189

-40.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,573 KWD 483

-47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,286 KWD 395

-44.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$4,253 KWD 1,306

-87.17%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shuwaikh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $795 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 $82.0 in Shuwaikh. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $178 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 34%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,082 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 $82.0 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,388 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 $1,034, than in Shuwaikh at $1,388. 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.