Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taif

For one person, living is cheaper in Taif: $1,255 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Taif
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Taif Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Taif

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Taif

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Taif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,255 in Taif, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Taif $1,255

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $1,844 in Taif, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Taif $1,844

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $2,434 in Taif, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Taif $2,434

Medellin costs about 29% more than Taif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Taif is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$5.35 SAR 20.09

55.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$38.34 SAR 144

22.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$7.40 SAR 27.76

24.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$2.16 SAR 8.12

41.20%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$0.69 SAR 2.60

160.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$0.22 SAR 0.84

527.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-15.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$0.26 SAR 0.97

811.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$2.32 SAR 8.69

-26.72%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$2.60 SAR 9.75

13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$6.02 SAR 22.60

69.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$6.76 SAR 25.35

44.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$9.18 SAR 34.45

51.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$2.32 SAR 8.71

78.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$1.79 SAR 6.72

-14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$1.89 SAR 7.07

17.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$1.85 SAR 6.93

22.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$1.29 SAR 4.85

54.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$1.50 SAR 5.62

11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$0.92 SAR 3.44

28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$0.83 SAR 3.10

49.40%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$6.59 SAR 24.72

-41.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$1.04 SAR 3.91

19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

$36.81 SAR 138

112.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$2.03 SAR 7.60

5.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$9.34 SAR 35.06

-10.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$0.60 SAR 2.23

125.00%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$26.1K SAR 97.8K

33.40%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$22.0K SAR 82.5K

57.77%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$142 SAR 531

17.71%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$27.78 SAR 104

-50.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$68.6 SAR 258

-57.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$146 SAR 550

-69.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

$13.36 SAR 50.1

28.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$20.00 SAR 75.1

-65.15%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$183 SAR 688

330.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$3,266 SAR 12.3K

176.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$42.45 SAR 159

106.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$57.0 SAR 214

1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$96.0 SAR 360

44.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$87.6 SAR 329

12.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$577 SAR 2,166

78.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$377 SAR 1,415

64.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$833 SAR 3,127

125.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$571 SAR 2,144

76.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

$2,370 SAR 8,893

68.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

$1,346 SAR 5,050

26.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,574 SAR 5,906

-57.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.54

97.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Taif: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Taif

$377 30.1% 39.1% $242

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Taif

$179 14.3% 39.9% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Taif

$238 19% 13.7% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Taif

$127 10.2% 26.3% $45

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Taif

$95 7.5% 44.6% $76

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Taif

$52 4.2% 45% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Taif

$186 14.9% 216% $127

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $577 in Taif. 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 137% higher in Taif, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Taif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $179 – making Taif the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇦 Taif

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

15:31 3:31 PM

8 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

579,970

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Taif 12,400 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Taif

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $1,882 in Taif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taif, 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Taif. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $1,255 in Taif. That's a gap of about 29%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taif, where all-in costs run around $1,255, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Taif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taif – 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 Taif. 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.