Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umm Salal 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umm Salal 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $751 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,216 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,682 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Umm Salal 'ali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Umm Salal 'ali are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Umm Salal 'ali 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.74 QAR 24.52

-12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$54.0 QAR 197

-38.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.78 QAR 24.67

9.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.63 QAR 42.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.68

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.04 QAR 18.33

-67.26%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.79 QAR 2.87

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.31 QAR 1.13

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.08 QAR 7.56

-47.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.21 QAR 8.06

-37.56%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.57 QAR 9.37

-15.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.59 QAR 42.17

-61.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.85 QAR 28.57

-26.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.50 QAR 38.23

-14.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.00 QAR 7.28

16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.56 QAR 5.68

-32.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.50 QAR 5.45

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.45 QAR 5.27

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.94 QAR 3.44

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.08 QAR 3.94

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.31 QAR 4.77

-31.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.45 QAR 1.64

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.09 QAR 36.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 QAR 11.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.30 QAR 22.92

-64.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.24 QAR 8.16

-36.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.16 QAR 7.85

-9.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$13.67 QAR 49.75

-42.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.55 QAR 2.01

80.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$22.6K QAR 82.2K

-22.09%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

31.32%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$93.7 QAR 341

-11.39%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$37.59 QAR 137

-74.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$87.4 QAR 318

-73.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$12.53 QAR 45.63

-68.48%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$796 QAR 2,896

-60.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$11.9K QAR 43.2K

-49.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$61.0 QAR 222

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$54.5 QAR 198

-41.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$99.6 QAR 363

2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$88.9 QAR 324

20.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.08

120.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $210 – 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 Salal 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,127 in Umm Salal 'ali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $54.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal 'ali, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Umm Salal 'ali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm Salal 'ali – 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 Salal 'ali. 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.