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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,150 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,739 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,327 in Unaizah, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Unaizah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Unaizah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Unaizah 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.78 SAR 25.44

-12.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$40.62 SAR 152

-17.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.14 SAR 26.79

1.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-59.35%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.68 SAR 2.54

60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.26 SAR 0.97

180.77%

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

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.31 SAR 1.18

316.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.35 SAR 8.81

-43.83%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.45 SAR 9.20

-7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.89 SAR 22.11

-26.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.73 SAR 17.76

24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.18 SAR 49.44

-34.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.26 SAR 8.50

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-34.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-8.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-55.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.23 SAR 4.60

-27.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.70 SAR 2.63

28.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.95 SAR 26.10

-67.63%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$39.73 SAR 149

5.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-47.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.84 SAR 6.89

3.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-42.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.64 SAR 2.40

57.81%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

-34.02%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

18.08%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$106 SAR 397

-20.84%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$33.99 SAR 128

-72.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$73.3 SAR 275

-67.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$53.0 SAR 199

-52.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$36.24 SAR 136

-47.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$15.77 SAR 59.2

-74.00%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$353 SAR 1,324

-11.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

-13.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$58.1 SAR 218

-0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$59.6 SAR 224

-45.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$79.8 SAR 299

24.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$80.3 SAR 301

35.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$431 SAR 1,618

11.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$381 SAR 1,429

-0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$864 SAR 3,241

-3.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$629 SAR 2,361

14.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,079 SAR 7,800

36.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,529 SAR 5,736

-19.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,517 SAR 9,443

-78.51%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $431 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 365% 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 $41.00 in Unaizah. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $176 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 13%, 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 $1,726 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 $41.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,150 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 $1,017, than in Unaizah at $1,150. 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.