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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,000 in Yanbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,512 in Yanbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,023 in Yanbu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Yanbu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Yanbu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Yanbu 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.59 SAR 24.73

-9.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$37.96 SAR 142

-12.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.49 SAR 24.34

11.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.74 SAR 14.05

-56.42%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.70 SAR 2.62

55.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.23 SAR 0.86

217.39%

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

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.87 SAR 3.28

48.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.20 SAR 8.24

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.64 SAR 9.90

-14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.85 SAR 21.96

-25.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.92 SAR 29.72

-25.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.20 SAR 45.78

-29.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.16 SAR 8.11

4.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-31.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.46 SAR 5.46

4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.54 SAR 5.80

-7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.26 SAR 4.71

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.97 SAR 3.62

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-19.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.55 SAR 2.08

63.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.24 SAR 23.41

-63.94%

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

$33.86 SAR 127

23.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.26 SAR 12.23

-56.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.78 SAR 2.92

143.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$15.35 SAR 57.6

-49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.57 SAR 2.14

77.19%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

-32.14%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

21.21%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$106 SAR 398

-21.07%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$22.79 SAR 85.5

-58.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$68.7 SAR 258

-64.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$97.5 SAR 366

-74.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$35.04 SAR 132

-45.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.12 SAR 49.23

-68.75%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$315 SAR 1,181

-0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

59.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$23.07 SAR 86.6

151.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$20.91 SAR 78.5

55.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$66.3 SAR 249

50.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$48.58 SAR 182

123.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$316 SAR 1,185

52.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$244 SAR 914

55.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$606 SAR 2,274

38.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$410 SAR 1,539

76.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

-84.69%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $316 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 553% 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 $189 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 2%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,500 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,000 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 $1,000, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.