Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yanbu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yanbu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $986 in Yanbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,533 in Yanbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,081 in Yanbu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Yanbu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Yanbu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Yanbu 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.73 SAR 25.25

-12.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$37.95 SAR 142

-13.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.59 SAR 24.70

9.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.68 SAR 13.78

-53.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.76 SAR 2.84

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.23 SAR 0.86

213.04%

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

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-38.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.92 SAR 3.44

35.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-37.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-16.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.87 SAR 22.03

-26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.63 SAR 28.62

-23.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.93 SAR 44.75

-25.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.17 SAR 8.13

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-34.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.45 SAR 5.42

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.53 SAR 5.72

-10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.26 SAR 4.71

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.01 SAR 3.78

10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.06 SAR 3.99

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.51 SAR 1.92

78.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.26 SAR 23.48

-62.78%

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

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-24.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$32.80 SAR 123

25.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.15 SAR 11.82

-54.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.84 SAR 3.14

127.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$15.32 SAR 57.4

-47.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.62 SAR 2.32

51.61%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$25.6K SAR 96.1K

-30.07%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

24.65%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$108 SAR 403

-21.94%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$22.12 SAR 82.9

-56.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$70.5 SAR 264

-65.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$96.9 SAR 364

-73.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$35.37 SAR 133

-46.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.13 SAR 49.25

-70.14%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$322 SAR 1,209

-4.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,842 SAR 14.4K

54.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$22.59 SAR 84.7

156.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$21.69 SAR 81.4

46.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$66.6 SAR 250

50.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$47.14 SAR 177

127.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$307 SAR 1,153

58.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$242 SAR 907

52.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$607 SAR 2,277

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$405 SAR 1,517

77.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,459 SAR 13.0K

-84.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.3

306.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $307 in Yanbu. 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 534% higher in Yanbu, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Yanbu. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $188 in Yanbu – so Yanbu 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,478 in Yanbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yanbu, 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 $38.00 in Yanbu. 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 $986 in Yanbu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yanbu, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Yanbu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yanbu – 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 Yanbu. 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.