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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,038 in Yanbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,626 in Yanbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,214 in Yanbu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 62% more than Yanbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Yanbu is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.51 SAR 24.47

23.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$37.19 SAR 140

28.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.85 SAR 25.73

44.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.57 SAR 13.40

-12.32%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.79 SAR 2.97

141.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.20 SAR 0.77

655.00%

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

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.88 SAR 3.32

182.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-18.06%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.39 SAR 8.97

23.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.34 SAR 23.82

58.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.25 SAR 30.98

22.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.30 SAR 49.97

7.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.09 SAR 7.86

98.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.51 SAR 5.67

49.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.67 SAR 6.29

34.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.17 SAR 4.38

74.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.09 SAR 4.11

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.04 SAR 3.92

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.53 SAR 2.00

147.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.72 SAR 25.24

-41.96%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.92

17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$26.14 SAR 98.2

207.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.21 SAR 12.07

-59.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.78 SAR 2.93

180.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$13.61 SAR 51.1

-36.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.62 SAR 2.33

120.97%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$46.4K SAR 174.3K

-40.02%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.4K SAR 80.6K

66.79%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$102 SAR 384

73.52%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$22.45 SAR 84.3

-38.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$67.4 SAR 253

-55.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$95.1 SAR 357

-52.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$26.16 SAR 98.2

-34.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$11.96 SAR 44.91

-44.40%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$266 SAR 998

206.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,837 SAR 14.4K

139.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$67.1 SAR 252

33.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$60.9 SAR 229

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$97.9 SAR 368

41.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$97.9 SAR 368

4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$313 SAR 1,176

239.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$210 SAR 790

215.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$595 SAR 2,234

217.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$425 SAR 1,597

141.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,470 SAR 13.0K

-80.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.39

102.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $313 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 412% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Yanbu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $196 – making Yanbu 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,556 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $37.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,038 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 $1,038, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.