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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,101 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,694 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,286 in Unaizah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Unaizah is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.62 SAR 24.85

21.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$39.80 SAR 149

20.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.98 SAR 26.23

41.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.99 SAR 14.99

-21.55%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.74 SAR 2.77

158.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.28 SAR 1.06

439.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.47 SAR 5.54

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.31 SAR 1.17

703.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.14 SAR 8.03

-17.29%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.40 SAR 9.02

23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.92 SAR 22.23

70.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.60 SAR 17.26

120.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.73 SAR 47.81

12.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.15 SAR 8.08

92.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.58 SAR 5.95

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.54 SAR 5.80

46.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.68 SAR 6.33

33.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.18 SAR 4.44

72.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-41.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.14 SAR 4.27

2.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.64 SAR 2.42

104.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.84 SAR 10.66

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.56 SAR 24.63

-40.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.06 SAR 3.98

15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$36.06 SAR 135

123.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.86 SAR 10.72

-54.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.81 SAR 6.80

20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-35.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.64 SAR 2.42

114.06%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$46.3K SAR 174.1K

-39.93%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

66.11%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$99.6 SAR 374

78.01%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$31.98 SAR 120

-56.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$68.1 SAR 256

-56.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$53.8 SAR 202

-16.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$36.87 SAR 139

-53.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$13.10 SAR 49.22

-49.24%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$347 SAR 1,303

134.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

37.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$50.7 SAR 190

76.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$59.1 SAR 222

-0.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$96.8 SAR 364

42.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$89.2 SAR 335

14.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$576 SAR 2,163

84.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$339 SAR 1,275

95.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$893 SAR 3,353

111.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$556 SAR 2,087

84.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,401 SAR 9,020

74.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,380 SAR 5,182

21.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,517 SAR 9,453

-73.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.47

100.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $576 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 271% higher in Unaizah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Unaizah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $171 – making Unaizah 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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,652 in Unaizah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Unaizah, 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 $48.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,101 in Unaizah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Unaizah, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Unaizah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Unaizah – 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 Unaizah. 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.