Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umm Salal Mohammed Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umm Salal Mohammed

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $233 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $390 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $546 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

Medellin costs about 337% more than Umm Salal Mohammed, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Umm Salal Mohammed are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Umm Salal Mohammed 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

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

$2.23 QAR 8.13

-52.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.48 QAR 5.39

-12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.62 QAR 9.53

-49.62%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.70 QAR 9.83

-15.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.16 QAR 29.71

-46.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.93 QAR 17.93

19.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.45 QAR 34.39

-8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.89 QAR 6.87

19.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.49 QAR 5.43

-28.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.11 QAR 4.06

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.31 QAR 8.42

-38.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.79 QAR 2.87

48.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.62 QAR 5.90

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.90 QAR 6.92

-53.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.43 QAR 1.55

109.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.60 QAR 45.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 QAR 5.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.86 QAR 21.33

-61.60%

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

$1.12 QAR 4.08

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$32.88 QAR 120

27.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.19 QAR 7.96

-35.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.85 QAR 21.30

32.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.60 QAR 2.19

68.33%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.5K QAR 74.6K

29.33%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

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

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

$312 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

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

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 Mohammed: June 8, 2026

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 Mohammed: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 337%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $349 in Umm Salal Mohammed. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Umm Salal Mohammed. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal Mohammed, where all-in costs run around $233, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Umm Salal Mohammed it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm Salal Mohammed – 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 Mohammed. 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.