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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,348 in Tabuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,016 in Tabuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,685 in Tabuk, rent included.

Medellin is about 25% cheaper than Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Tabuk is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.75 SAR 32.84

-31.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$27.64 SAR 104

18.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.18 SAR 26.95

-1.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.10 SAR 11.64

-44.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.76 SAR 2.83

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.28 SAR 1.06

178.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-40.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.52 SAR 1.94

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-49.45%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.69 SAR 10.11

-18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.19 SAR 45.75

-63.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.68 SAR 25.06

-15.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.95 SAR 48.61

-31.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.98 SAR 7.45

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.53 SAR 5.74

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.79 SAR 6.72

-16.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-36.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-32.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-42.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.00 SAR 7.50

-55.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 SAR 2.13

47.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$7.50 SAR 28.14

-69.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-18.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$39.99 SAR 150

3.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-45.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.91 SAR 7.17

2.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$13.20 SAR 49.53

-41.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.61 SAR 2.30

55.74%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-31.42%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

16.90%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$160 SAR 602

-48.69%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$36.95 SAR 139

-74.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$106 SAR 399

-77.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$88.2 SAR 331

-70.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$35.71 SAR 134

-46.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$25.73 SAR 96.6

-84.73%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$355 SAR 1,334

-12.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

-29.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$59.5 SAR 223

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$61.0 SAR 229

-46.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$79.7 SAR 299

28.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$82.7 SAR 310

31.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$344 SAR 1,291

38.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$366 SAR 1,374

3.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$822 SAR 3,085

1.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$731 SAR 2,743

-0.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

4.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,526 SAR 5,728

-20.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,707 SAR 6,406

-70.01%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $344 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 233% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $215 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 33%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,022 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,348 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 $1,013, than in Tabuk at $1,348. 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.