Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tabuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tabuk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,311 in Tabuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,991 in Tabuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,672 in Tabuk, rent included.

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Tabuk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tabuk 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.51 SAR 31.96

-27.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.73 SAR 104

17.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.36 SAR 27.65

-0.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.05 SAR 11.44

-43.61%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.75 SAR 2.80

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.26 SAR 0.97

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-45.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.56 SAR 2.09

132.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.71 SAR 10.17

-48.34%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-17.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.54 SAR 47.08

-64.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.59 SAR 24.75

-10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.09 SAR 49.14

-34.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.00 SAR 7.52

14.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.61 SAR 6.04

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.79 SAR 6.74

-14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-36.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-33.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.09 SAR 7.84

-45.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-56.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.62 SAR 2.32

46.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.63 SAR 28.65

-69.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.43 SAR 148

2.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-47.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.82 SAR 6.82

5.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-43.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.65 SAR 2.45

52.31%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.7K SAR 100.4K

-32.56%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

18.68%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$161 SAR 604

-49.74%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$37.11 SAR 139

-73.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$104 SAR 391

-76.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$88.5 SAR 332

-71.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$35.85 SAR 135

-46.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$25.80 SAR 96.9

-84.57%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$352 SAR 1,321

-13.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,390 SAR 31.5K

-27.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$58.9 SAR 221

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$59.2 SAR 222

-45.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$78.5 SAR 295

28.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$82.4 SAR 309

30.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$336 SAR 1,263

41.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$366 SAR 1,375

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$812 SAR 3,049

4.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$737 SAR 2,769

-0.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,566 SAR 9,636

25.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,533 SAR 5,755

-10.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,762 SAR 6,616

-65.00%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $336 in Tabuk. 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 186% higher in Tabuk, 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 $28.00 in Tabuk. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $218 in Tabuk – so Medellin 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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tabuk is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,967 in Tabuk. 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 $28.00 in Tabuk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,311 in Tabuk. 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 $1,031, than in Tabuk at $1,311. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tabuk 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, Tabuk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.