Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Unaizah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Unaizah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,146 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,774 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,402 in Unaizah, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Unaizah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Unaizah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Unaizah 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.47 SAR 24.26

-8.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$40.06 SAR 150

-18.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.04 SAR 26.39

2.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.07 SAR 15.26

-58.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.72 SAR 2.72

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.28 SAR 1.06

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.50 SAR 5.61

-29.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.29 SAR 1.08

331.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-38.50%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.42 SAR 9.06

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.05 SAR 22.69

-28.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.62 SAR 17.32

26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.08 SAR 49.06

-32.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.29 SAR 4.84

-12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-57.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.68 SAR 2.55

33.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.09 SAR 11.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.84 SAR 25.64

-65.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-26.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$40.65 SAR 152

1.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-44.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.88 SAR 7.07

1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$13.53 SAR 50.7

-40.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.61 SAR 2.28

54.10%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

-31.65%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

22.26%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$104 SAR 391

-19.49%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$33.59 SAR 126

-71.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$71.8 SAR 269

-66.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$53.9 SAR 202

-51.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$35.68 SAR 134

-46.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$15.43 SAR 57.9

-74.59%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$358 SAR 1,341

-14.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,080 SAR 26.6K

-16.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$60.1 SAR 225

-3.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$60.8 SAR 228

-47.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$78.6 SAR 295

27.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$80.4 SAR 302

33.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$448 SAR 1,679

8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$374 SAR 1,404

-1.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$847 SAR 3,175

-2.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$630 SAR 2,364

13.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,243 SAR 8,410

30.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,249 SAR 4,683

12.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$2,542 SAR 9,532

-78.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.42

203.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $448 in Unaizah. 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 366% higher in Unaizah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Unaizah. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $175 in Unaizah – so Unaizah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Unaizah is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,719 in Unaizah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $40.00 in Unaizah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,146 in Unaizah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Unaizah at $1,146. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Unaizah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Unaizah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.