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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $728 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,356 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,985 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Umm As-summaq, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Umm As-summaq are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Umm As-summaq 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 19.1K

$6.52 JOD 4.62

-9.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 106.5K

$49.19 JOD 34.82

-32.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 24.0K

$5.01 JOD 3.55

48.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,343

$4.15 JOD 2.94

-60.24%

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

$1.10 COP 3,559

$0.52 JOD 0.37

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,523

$0.37 JOD 0.26

110.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,553

$5.73 JOD 4.05

-69.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$6.88 JOD 4.87

-53.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,565

$1.28 JOD 0.91

-14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,066

$0.34 JOD 0.24

270.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,463

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,038

$2.56 JOD 1.81

-14.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.5K

$2.74 JOD 1.94

63.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.7K

$6.46 JOD 4.57

-10.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 29.0K

$11.19 JOD 7.92

-19.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,499

$1.38 JOD 0.97

68.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,440

$0.74 JOD 0.53

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,899

$1.39 JOD 0.99

9.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,381

$0.27 JOD 0.19

403.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,645

$0.33 JOD 0.24

242.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,785

$0.29 JOD 0.21

303.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,912

$0.61 JOD 0.43

47.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,897

$0.63 JOD 0.45

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,218

$3.51 JOD 2.49

-36.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 39.2K

$16.85 JOD 11.93

-28.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,841

$4.78 JOD 3.39

-75.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,020

$5.54 JOD 3.92

-55.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,758

$0.74 JOD 0.52

14.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 134.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,575

$0.68 JOD 0.48

108.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,302

$0.29 JOD 0.21

572.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.5K

$7.12 JOD 5.04

10.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,200

$1.43 JOD 1.02

-30.77%

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

$17.6K COP 56.9M

$26.8K JOD 19.0K

-34.29%

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

$26.8K COP 86.6M

$31.6K JOD 22.4K

-15.31%

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

$83.0 COP 268.2K

$106 JOD 74.9

-21.53%

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

$9.70 COP 31.3K

$16.73 JOD 11.84

-42.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 76.0K

$31.46 JOD 22.27

-25.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 81.6K

$40.43 JOD 28.62

-37.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.7K

$34.91 JOD 24.71

-45.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.8K

$11.15 JOD 7.89

-64.57%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$271 JOD 192

16.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.3M

$5,400 JOD 3,822

10.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 193.8K

$62.0 JOD 43.87

-3.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 102.8K

$56.5 JOD 39.99

-43.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 328.5K

$116 JOD 81.8

-12.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 347.2K

$79.8 JOD 56.5

34.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$380 JOD 269

24.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$459 JOD 325

84.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$356 JOD 252

102.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

$1,675 JOD 1,186

94.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$855 JOD 605

-27.00%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Umm As-summaq: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $380 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 37% 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 $49.00 in Umm As-summaq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $205 – 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 38%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,091 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 $49.00 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 6% 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 $728, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.