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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,322 per month in Muscat vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,928 per month in Muscat vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,533 per month in Muscat vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Muscat costs about 28% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Muscat and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Muscat 1% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-14.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.82

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-21.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$7.34 COP 23.9K

8.86%

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$1.72 COP 5,600

182.56%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.05 COP 3,420

-3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.77 COP 2,515

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.41 OMR 4.78

$1.69 COP 5,488

634.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$3.17 COP 10.3K

267.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.05 COP 3,423

88.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.30 COP 4,236

-5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.40 COP 4,544

21.43%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$2.16 COP 7,047

12.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-15.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-16.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.28 COP 7,426

10.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.11 COP 3,604

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.53 COP 4,983

16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.35 COP 4,410

-15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.13 COP 3,674

-9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$1.13 COP 3,692

-13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.85 COP 2,753

28.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$0.91 COP 2,975

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$2.34 COP 7,630

168.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

$12.37 COP 40.3K

27.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$1.20 COP 3,909

265.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$2.49 COP 8,104

222.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.84 COP 2,728

51.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

$40.57 COP 132.1K

55.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$1.42 COP 4,623

122.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.92 COP 6,235

-58.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$7.66 COP 24.9K

33.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.99 COP 3,223

-35.35%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,654

$18.0K COP 58.7M

24.71%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,279

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-19.22%

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

$109 OMR 41.78

$80.8 COP 263.1K

34.34%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$9.95 COP 32.4K

306.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.38

$24.18 COP 78.7K

183.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

$25.08 COP 81.7K

94.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

$19.15 COP 62.3K

21.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$3.98 COP 13.0K

158.29%

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$305 COP 993.5K

-37.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,861

$6,059 COP 19.7M

65.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-12.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.07

$32.20 COP 104.8K

21.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.87

$101 COP 327.9K

-22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.72

$108 COP 350.8K

-18.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

$477 COP 1.6M

29.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

$376 COP 1.2M

8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

$845 COP 2.7M

47.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

$730 COP 2.4M

-2.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-10.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

$1,372 COP 4.5M

16.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

$617 COP 2.0M

155.57%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Muscat versus $477 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 156% 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 – $230 in Muscat 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

Muscat vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Muscat is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,983 per month in Muscat and $1,546 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 $1,322 in Muscat and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Muscat at $1,322. 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.