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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $733 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,224 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,715 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% 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 24% lower, Umm Salal 'ali 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.72 QAR 24.45

-11.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$53.9 QAR 196

-38.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.96 QAR 25.34

3.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 QAR 42.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.83 QAR 39.44

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.18 QAR 18.84

-68.53%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.83 QAR 3.03

31.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.30 QAR 1.11

143.33%

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

$2.04 QAR 7.43

-48.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.56 QAR 5.70

-17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.12 QAR 7.72

-37.74%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.55 QAR 9.29

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.52 QAR 41.92

-62.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.52 QAR 27.39

-21.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.37 QAR 37.73

-16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.00 QAR 7.29

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.56 QAR 5.69

-31.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.50 QAR 5.47

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.44 QAR 5.24

-1.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.00 QAR 3.65

17.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.08 QAR 3.94

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.32 QAR 4.82

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.45 QAR 1.63

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.78 QAR 35.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 QAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 QAR 10.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.19 QAR 22.53

-63.65%

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.21 QAR 8.04

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.23 QAR 8.12

-14.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.98 QAR 50.9

-44.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.55 QAR 2.00

83.64%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.2K QAR 81.0K

-20.99%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.7K QAR 75.4K

27.82%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$92.3 QAR 336

-9.32%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$38.02 QAR 138

-75.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$86.6 QAR 315

-72.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$12.56 QAR 45.71

-67.36%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$785 QAR 2,858

-60.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$11.8K QAR 43.1K

-49.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$62.5 QAR 227

-7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$54.6 QAR 199

-40.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$101 QAR 368

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$91.1 QAR 332

19.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: June 7, 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: $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 Salal 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,099 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 $733, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.