Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umluj Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umluj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,236 in Umluj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,857 in Umluj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,477 in Umluj, rent included.

Medellin is about 18% cheaper than Umluj, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Umluj are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Umluj 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.46 SAR 24.25

-7.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$43.78 SAR 164

-23.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.10 SAR 30.41

-10.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.73 SAR 13.99

-56.30%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.75 SAR 2.80

45.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.29 SAR 1.09

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.01 SAR 3.78

27.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-44.77%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.41 SAR 9.04

-5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.97 SAR 26.16

-37.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.64 SAR 28.68

-23.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.95 SAR 48.61

-33.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.19 SAR 8.22

2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.58 SAR 5.92

-32.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-9.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.24 SAR 4.65

-5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.18 SAR 4.44

-24.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 SAR 2.07

63.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.04 SAR 11.42

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.97 SAR 26.17

-67.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$40.18 SAR 151

4.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.67 SAR 10.04

-47.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.81 SAR 6.81

4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.38 SAR 50.2

-42.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.59 SAR 2.22

71.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.3K SAR 98.9K

-33.28%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.8K SAR 85.4K

16.43%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$105 SAR 394

-20.27%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.65 SAR 126

-71.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$73.2 SAR 275

-67.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$87.1 SAR 327

-70.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$35.68 SAR 134

-46.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$15.42 SAR 57.9

-73.41%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$353 SAR 1,324

-11.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,979 SAR 26.2K

-14.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.3 SAR 226

-3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$60.4 SAR 226

-46.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$79.1 SAR 297

25.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$82.0 SAR 308

32.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$436 SAR 1,635

10.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$376 SAR 1,412

0.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$868 SAR 3,258

-3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$618 SAR 2,319

17.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,334 SAR 8,758

21.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,193 SAR 4,476

2.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$4,301 SAR 16.1K

-87.43%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Umluj: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $436 in Umluj. 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 695% higher in Umluj, 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 $44.00 in Umluj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $197 – making Medellin 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 Umluj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Umluj is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,854 in Umluj. 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 $44.00 in Umluj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,236 in Umluj. 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 $1,017, than in Umluj at $1,236. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Umluj 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, Umluj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.