Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Muscat and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Muscat vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,982 per month in Muscat vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,633 per month in Muscat vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Muscat costs about 31% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Muscat and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Muscat 1% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-11.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.39 OMR 10.16

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 OMR 3.02

$7.09 COP 25.3K

10.58%

Cappuccino

$4.95 OMR 1.90

$1.71 COP 6,115

189.47%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.10 COP 3,924

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.78 COP 2,781

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.16 OMR 4.68

$1.68 COP 5,997

623.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$3.07 COP 11.0K

286.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.09 COP 3,906

83.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.26 COP 4,508

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.65

$1.38 COP 4,922

23.19%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.19 COP 7,827

11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-12.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 OMR 1.98

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-8.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 OMR 3.26

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$2.34 COP 8,349

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.06 COP 3,777

62.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$1.38 COP 4,924

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.15 COP 4,111

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.16 COP 4,155

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$0.89 COP 3,182

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.84 COP 2,997

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 OMR 2.39

$2.28 COP 8,145

172.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.55 OMR 5.99

$10.64 COP 38.0K

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 OMR 1.64

$1.20 COP 4,284

254.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$2.47 COP 8,824

219.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.86 COP 3,056

47.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 OMR 23.99

$41.40 COP 147.9K

50.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$1.47 COP 5,264

114.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.96 COP 7,009

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$7.74 COP 27.6K

33.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$0.95 COP 3,409

-36.84%

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

$22.8K OMR 8,778

$18.1K COP 64.7M

25.75%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,405

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-17.57%

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

$107 OMR 41.32

$82.3 COP 293.7K

30.49%

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

$40.60 OMR 15.63

$9.50 COP 33.9K

327.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$24.23 COP 86.5K

190.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 OMR 18.19

$25.89 COP 92.4K

82.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 OMR 8.85

$19.00 COP 67.9K

21.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$3.93 COP 14.0K

166.41%

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

$192 OMR 74.1

$309 COP 1.1M

-37.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,757 OMR 3,756

$5,965 COP 21.3M

63.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.53

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-13.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 OMR 15.21

$32.35 COP 115.5K

22.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.56

$103 COP 366.4K

-22.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 OMR 34.66

$108 COP 387.2K

-16.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 OMR 238

$476 COP 1.7M

29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 OMR 158

$379 COP 1.4M

8.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 OMR 470

$838 COP 3.0M

45.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 OMR 281

$724 COP 2.6M

0.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,666 OMR 1,026

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-4.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 OMR 597

$1,211 COP 4.3M

28.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 OMR 637

$512 COP 1.8M

223.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

13.43

-61.65%

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

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Muscat versus $476 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 223% higher in Muscat, 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 $26.00 in Muscat versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Muscat vs $188 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

Muscat vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Muscat is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,997 per month in Muscat and $1,519 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 $26.00 in Muscat 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 $1,331 in Muscat and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Muscat at $1,331. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Muscat 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, Muscat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.