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 $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $232 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $386 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $540 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

Medellin costs about 628% more than Umm Salal Mohammed, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Umm Salal Mohammed is 83% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.14 QAR 7.78

-35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.55 QAR 5.62

58.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.71 QAR 9.85

-44.28%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.62 QAR 9.53

6.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.15 QAR 29.66

11.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.80 QAR 17.46

121.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$9.75 QAR 35.50

50.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.88 QAR 6.84

111.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.48 QAR 5.37

-6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.13 QAR 4.12

103.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.32 QAR 8.44

-12.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.86 QAR 3.13

143.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.61 QAR 5.84

1.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.94 QAR 7.06

-44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.43 QAR 1.56

190.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.29 QAR 44.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 QAR 5.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$5.59 QAR 20.36

-27.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.11 QAR 4.05

6.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$33.43 QAR 122

139.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.20 QAR 8.01

-26.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$5.59 QAR 20.34

52.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.60 QAR 2.17

125.00%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$20.4K QAR 74.2K

74.99%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

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

$835 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal Mohammed: August 18, 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 628%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $348 in Umm Salal Mohammed. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 57% 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 139% 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 $232, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.