Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taif Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taif

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,136 in Taif, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,602 in Taif, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,067 in Taif, rent included.

Medellin costs about 51% more than Taif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Taif is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$4.57 SAR 17.14

75.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$36.49 SAR 137

32.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$6.85 SAR 25.72

42.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-2.35%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.63 SAR 2.36

207.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.23 SAR 0.87

560.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.49 SAR 5.61

-8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.25 SAR 0.94

856.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$2.28 SAR 8.55

-25.44%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.47 SAR 9.28

16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$7.18 SAR 26.97

38.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$6.35 SAR 23.84

69.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$10.65 SAR 40.01

38.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.27 SAR 8.53

80.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.81 SAR 6.79

-13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.75 SAR 6.57

21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.81 SAR 6.79

22.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.47 SAR 5.52

39.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.81 SAR 3.04

46.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.95 SAR 3.55

22.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.50 SAR 24.39

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.08 SAR 4.04

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$36.44 SAR 137

113.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.31 SAR 4.90

-2.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-23.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-35.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.59 SAR 2.21

120.34%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$45.4K SAR 170.3K

-39.02%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$18.8K SAR 70.4K

89.30%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$110 SAR 413

59.96%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$27.31 SAR 103

-51.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$87.3 SAR 328

-65.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$118 SAR 444

-62.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$30.41 SAR 114

-43.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$17.29 SAR 64.9

-64.14%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$239 SAR 896

232.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$4,380 SAR 16.4K

105.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$20.72 SAR 77.8

313.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$59.3 SAR 223

-1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$97.1 SAR 365

40.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$46.27 SAR 174

122.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,205 SAR 4,525

-12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$346 SAR 1,300

96.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$870 SAR 3,268

131.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$325 SAR 1,222

259.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$2,389 SAR 8,970

72.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,368 SAR 5,135

24.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,768 SAR 6,638

-62.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.6

203.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Taif: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,205 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 166% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Taif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $182 – making Taif 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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,705 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $36.00 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $1,136 in Taif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taif, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.