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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,168 in Umluj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,752 in Umluj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,336 in Umluj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 44% more than Umluj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Umluj is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$6.71 SAR 25.22

19.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$36.73 SAR 138

30.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$8.07 SAR 30.30

22.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.87

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.48 SAR 13.06

-10.06%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.90 SAR 3.38

112.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.26 SAR 0.98

480.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.16 SAR 4.34

114.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$2.16 SAR 8.11

-18.06%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.39 SAR 8.97

23.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.34 SAR 27.58

37.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$7.99 SAR 30.01

26.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$12.98 SAR 48.77

10.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.08 SAR 7.82

99.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.57 SAR 5.89

43.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.63 SAR 6.14

38.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.14 SAR 4.28

78.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.30 SAR 4.88

18.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.14 SAR 4.27

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.55 SAR 2.06

138.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.47 SAR 24.30

-39.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.05 SAR 3.96

16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$35.76 SAR 134

125.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.96 SAR 11.14

-55.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$1.83 SAR 6.86

19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$13.29 SAR 49.91

-34.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.65 SAR 2.44

110.77%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$45.8K SAR 172.1K

-39.25%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

64.92%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$98.6 SAR 371

79.74%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$32.02 SAR 120

-56.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$68.1 SAR 256

-56.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$84.1 SAR 316

-46.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$37.21 SAR 140

-53.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$13.07 SAR 49.10

-49.12%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$341 SAR 1,279

138.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$6,614 SAR 24.8K

38.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$49.91 SAR 187

79.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$58.3 SAR 219

1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$97.0 SAR 364

42.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$87.9 SAR 330

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$588 SAR 2,210

80.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$349 SAR 1,311

89.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$883 SAR 3,315

113.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$553 SAR 2,078

85.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,391 SAR 8,982

74.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,395 SAR 5,240

20.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$4,205 SAR 15.8K

-83.88%

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 Umluj: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $588 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 520% higher in Umluj, 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 $37.00 in Umluj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $200 – making Umluj 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,752 in Umluj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Umluj, 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 $37.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,168 in Umluj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umluj, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Umluj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umluj – 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 Umluj. 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.