Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umm As-summaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umm As-summaq

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $723 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,386 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,049 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Umm As-summaq, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Umm As-summaq are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Umm As-summaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.30 JOD 4.46

-5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$49.89 JOD 35.31

-33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.07 JOD 3.59

42.60%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.22 JOD 2.99

-61.37%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.48 JOD 0.34

127.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.34 JOD 0.24

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.58 JOD 3.95

-68.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$7.15 JOD 5.06

-54.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.24 JOD 0.88

-15.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.36 JOD 0.26

258.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-8.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.55 JOD 1.81

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.88 JOD 2.04

51.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.65 JOD 4.70

-11.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.46 JOD 8.11

-24.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.39 JOD 0.99

61.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.74 JOD 0.52

44.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.44 JOD 1.02

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.29 JOD 0.21

389.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.34 JOD 0.24

244.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.29 JOD 0.21

303.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.66 JOD 0.46

34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.63 JOD 0.44

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.58 JOD 2.53

-37.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$16.81 JOD 11.90

-34.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$4.63 JOD 3.28

-75.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$5.31 JOD 3.76

-55.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.74 JOD 0.52

13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.70 JOD 0.49

101.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.29 JOD 0.21

555.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.93 JOD 4.90

11.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-27.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

-34.02%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$32.2K JOD 22.8K

-17.76%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$107 JOD 75.4

-21.45%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$17.31 JOD 12.25

-45.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$32.01 JOD 22.66

-24.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$40.41 JOD 28.60

-37.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$35.87 JOD 25.39

-46.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$11.45 JOD 8.11

-64.19%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$274 JOD 194

14.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,354 JOD 3,789

11.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$60.6 JOD 42.87

-4.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$56.7 JOD 40.10

-42.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$114 JOD 80.7

-12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$81.5 JOD 57.7

33.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$388 JOD 275

24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$471 JOD 334

77.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$362 JOD 256

99.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,699 JOD 1,202

67.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$845 JOD 598

-36.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Umm As-summaq: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $388 in Umm As-summaq. 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 56% higher in Umm As-summaq, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Umm As-summaq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $206 – 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 Umm As-summaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,084 in Umm As-summaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Umm As-summaq, 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 $50.0 in Umm As-summaq. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm As-summaq, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Umm As-summaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm As-summaq – 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 Umm As-summaq. 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.