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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,468 per month in Medina vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,836 per month in Medina vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,204 per month in Medina vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Medina costs about 42% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 10% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 SAR 21.39

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-3.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.98 SAR 120

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.16

$7.20 COP 26.2K

8.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Cappuccino

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$1.70 COP 6,186

43.53%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$1.10 COP 3,996

-25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.46

$0.72 COP 2,625

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.06 COP 3,837

53.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.25 COP 4,531

-21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$1.39 COP 5,060

72.66%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.26 COP 8,229

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.36

$4.33 COP 15.8K

49.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.88

$5.84 COP 21.2K

18.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 SAR 47.89

$8.83 COP 32.1K

44.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.80

$2.24 COP 8,159

4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.08 COP 3,911

92.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$1.53 COP 5,563

41.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.37 COP 4,987

24.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$1.13 COP 4,109

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.65

$1.12 COP 4,067

34.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SAR 3.83

$0.85 COP 3,080

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$0.91 COP 3,305

-8.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.89

$2.33 COP 8,477

219.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.07

$0.79 COP 2,859

37.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.59 SAR 141

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-8.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.44 COP 5,223

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.91 COP 6,952

-14.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 SAR 21.12

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-29.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.94 COP 3,410

-30.85%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

19.31%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-21.62%

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

$201 SAR 754

$84.0 COP 305.4K

139.57%

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

$33.28 SAR 125

$9.60 COP 34.9K

246.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 386

$24.16 COP 87.9K

326.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 290

$25.88 COP 94.1K

199.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.66 SAR 32.47

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-54.52%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.83

$3.92 COP 14.2K

239.03%

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

$291 SAR 1,092

$306 COP 1.1M

-4.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,315 SAR 27.4K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

23.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-35.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 SAR 198

$31.82 COP 115.7K

65.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 SAR 248

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-33.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 SAR 364

$107 COP 389.7K

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 SAR 1,578

$487 COP 1.8M

-13.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,076

$368 COP 1.3M

50.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 SAR 2,712

$826 COP 3.0M

-12.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 SAR 1,563

$716 COP 2.6M

-41.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,312 SAR 8,669

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-20.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 SAR 4,981

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-5.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,349 SAR 5,058

$546 COP 2.0M

147.26%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Medina versus $487 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 147% 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 – $199 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 42%, 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 $1,550 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 $1,468 in Medina and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Medina at $1,468. 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.