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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,457 per month in Medina vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in Medina vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,232 per month in Medina vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Medina costs about 43% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 8% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-8.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.16 SAR 121

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-3.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.60

$7.23 COP 25.2K

9.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Cappuccino

$2.43 SAR 9.12

$1.63 COP 5,687

49.08%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$1.09 COP 3,821

-30.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.44

$0.73 COP 2,548

-46.58%

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)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.05 COP 3,662

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.29 COP 4,515

-29.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$1.32 COP 4,617

73.48%

Eggs

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.27 COP 7,927

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 SAR 24.45

$4.35 COP 15.2K

49.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$5.88 COP 20.5K

24.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 SAR 48.04

$8.61 COP 30.0K

48.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.25 COP 7,844

7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.07 COP 3,733

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.52 COP 5,322

40.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.42 COP 4,964

15.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.17 COP 4,084

16.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

$1.17 COP 4,077

23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$0.89 COP 3,096

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$0.90 COP 3,146

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.56 SAR 28.37

$2.25 COP 7,837

236.00%

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)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.84 COP 2,916

29.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.91 SAR 142

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-9.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.41 COP 4,912

-7.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.90 COP 6,634

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-29.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.01 COP 3,509

-36.63%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

20.31%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-19.16%

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

$201 SAR 755

$83.7 COP 292.1K

140.31%

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

$32.95 SAR 124

$9.45 COP 33.0K

248.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 SAR 382

$24.11 COP 84.1K

321.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 291

$25.31 COP 88.3K

206.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 SAR 33.59

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-53.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$4.10 COP 14.3K

230.73%

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

$287 SAR 1,078

$312 COP 1.1M

-7.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,365 SAR 27.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

22.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.93 SAR 139

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-36.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$32.56 COP 113.6K

60.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 SAR 253

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-32.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 SAR 362

$109 COP 378.8K

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,627

$482 COP 1.7M

-10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 SAR 2,114

$379 COP 1.3M

48.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 SAR 2,723

$837 COP 2.9M

-13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 SAR 1,569

$723 COP 2.5M

-42.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,279 SAR 8,553

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-19.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 SAR 5,013

$1,223 COP 4.3M

9.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,321 SAR 4,957

$541 COP 1.9M

144.26%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Medina versus $482 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 144% 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 – $200 in Medina vs $190 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 43%, 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 $2,186 per month in Medina and $1,525 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 $1,457 in Medina and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Medina at $1,457. 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.