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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,334 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,275 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,216 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Shuwaikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$11.17 KWD 3.43

-28.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$65.5 KWD 20.11

-26.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.85 KWD 2.72

11.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 KWD 1.48

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$5.14 KWD 1.58

-39.11%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.76 KWD 0.23

151.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.31 KWD 0.10

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.60 KWD 0.49

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.54 KWD 0.47

61.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.91 KWD 0.59

-7.33%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.17 KWD 0.67

36.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$4.45 KWD 1.37

126.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$6.79 KWD 2.09

49.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$10.46 KWD 3.21

36.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.46 KWD 0.76

68.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.85 KWD 0.57

-12.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.79 KWD 0.55

25.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.55 KWD 0.48

45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.39 KWD 0.43

46.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.49 KWD 0.46

3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$2.29 KWD 0.70

-48.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.55 KWD 0.17

138.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.74 KWD 0.84

42.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.84 KWD 0.26

45.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$4.73 KWD 1.45

-72.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-33.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$16.04 KWD 4.93

-45.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.36 KWD 0.11

280.56%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.2K KWD 6,516

31.28%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$20.2K KWD 6,217

76.82%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$65.4 KWD 20.08

171.27%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$22.39 KWD 6.88

-38.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$29.50 KWD 9.07

0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$100 KWD 30.84

-55.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$11.53 KWD 3.54

-42.32%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$298 KWD 91.6

172.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$9,347 KWD 2,872

-1.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$37.70 KWD 11.58

137.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$39.97 KWD 12.28

47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$98.8 KWD 30.37

39.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$88.5 KWD 27.19

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$655 KWD 201

62.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$567 KWD 174

16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,985 KWD 610

-4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$1,542 KWD 474

-33.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$4,145 KWD 1,274

-83.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.53

67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shuwaikh: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $655 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 512% higher in Shuwaikh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $65.0 in Shuwaikh. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $188 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,002 in Shuwaikh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shuwaikh, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $65.0 in Shuwaikh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shuwaikh, where all-in costs run around $1,334, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Shuwaikh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shuwaikh – 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 Shuwaikh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.