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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,244 in Tabuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,848 in Tabuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,453 in Tabuk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Tabuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tabuk is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$7.55 SAR 28.33

6.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$32.11 SAR 121

49.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.70 SAR 28.92

28.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.13 SAR 11.76

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.72 SAR 2.72

165.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.26 SAR 0.97

480.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.92 SAR 3.46

170.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-34.69%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.82 SAR 10.60

4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$12.47 SAR 46.83

-19.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.82 SAR 25.62

48.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$13.20 SAR 49.57

8.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.95 SAR 7.31

112.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.74 SAR 6.53

29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.24 SAR 8.40

0.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.75 SAR 6.57

16.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.06 SAR 7.72

-25.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.55 SAR 2.08

138.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$6.73 SAR 25.29

-42.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.10 SAR 4.12

10.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$35.75 SAR 134

125.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.98 SAR 11.20

-56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.76 SAR 6.61

24.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$13.11 SAR 49.22

-33.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.66 SAR 2.49

107.58%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$45.7K SAR 171.8K

-39.14%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

64.91%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$101 SAR 379

75.77%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$36.18 SAR 136

-61.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$76.6 SAR 288

-61.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$84.8 SAR 319

-47.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$37.50 SAR 141

-54.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$13.26 SAR 49.78

-49.85%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$351 SAR 1,316

131.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$8,364 SAR 31.4K

9.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$50.7 SAR 190

76.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$57.1 SAR 214

3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$95.7 SAR 359

44.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$87.0 SAR 327

17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$337 SAR 1,267

214.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$371 SAR 1,392

78.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$631 SAR 2,368

199.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$610 SAR 2,289

68.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$2,335 SAR 8,768

79.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,399 SAR 5,254

19.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,697 SAR 6,372

-60.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.47

100.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $337 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 150% higher in Tabuk, 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 $32.00 in Tabuk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $224 – making Tabuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,865 in Tabuk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tabuk, 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 $32.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,244 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 Tabuk, where all-in costs run around $1,244, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Tabuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tabuk – 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 Tabuk. 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.