Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,469 per month in Medina vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Medina vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,248 per month in Medina vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Medina costs about 46% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 10% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 SAR 20.95

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-5.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.14 SAR 121

$32.96 COP 103.9K

-2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SAR 30.86

$7.43 COP 23.4K

10.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Cappuccino

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$1.65 COP 5,212

50.30%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$1.10 COP 3,472

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$0.78 COP 2,461

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,417

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.10 COP 3,478

46.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 SAR 3.49

$1.26 COP 3,966

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.99

$1.38 COP 4,354

73.19%

Eggs

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.18 COP 6,866

-5.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$4.49 COP 14.2K

50.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 SAR 26.23

$5.79 COP 18.3K

20.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 SAR 47.92

$8.97 COP 28.3K

42.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.32 COP 7,315

6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$1.06 COP 3,356

103.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$1.52 COP 4,779

41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.36 COP 4,274

24.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.13 COP 3,555

26.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$1.17 COP 3,692

23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$0.90 COP 2,841

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.26

$0.90 COP 2,826

-3.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.94

$2.23 COP 7,041

233.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,823

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.85 COP 2,690

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.40 SAR 140

$41.62 COP 131.2K

-10.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.42 COP 4,463

-3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.95 COP 6,147

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$7.89 COP 24.9K

-30.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.99 COP 3,122

-39.39%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.5K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

18.76%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

$26.8K COP 84.5M

-19.28%

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

$201 SAR 755

$83.0 COP 261.6K

142.19%

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

$32.18 SAR 121

$9.70 COP 30.6K

231.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 386

$23.52 COP 74.1K

336.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 SAR 282

$25.26 COP 79.6K

196.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 SAR 33.77

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-52.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 SAR 50.1

$3.95 COP 12.4K

237.97%

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

$291 SAR 1,092

$316 COP 995.3K

-7.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,343 SAR 27.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

22.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.82 SAR 138

$60.0 COP 189.1K

-38.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 SAR 198

$31.82 COP 100.3K

66.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 SAR 254

$102 COP 320.4K

-33.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$107 COP 338.7K

-9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$475 COP 1.5M

-10.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 SAR 2,138

$374 COP 1.2M

52.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 SAR 2,668

$849 COP 2.7M

-16.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 SAR 1,575

$719 COP 2.3M

-41.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,306 SAR 8,661

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-29.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 SAR 5,123

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-5.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,338 SAR 5,023

$624 COP 2.0M

114.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-77.66%

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

Last update for Medina: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Medina versus $475 in Medellin. 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 114% higher in Medina, 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 $32.00 in Medina versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Medina vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Medina vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medina is pricier by about 46%, 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 $2,203 per month in Medina and $1,504 in Medellin. 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 $32.00 in Medina and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,469 in Medina and $1,003 in Medellin. 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 $1,003, than in Medina at $1,469. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina 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, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.