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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Muscat vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,272 per month in Muscat vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,019 per month in Muscat vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Muscat is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Muscat and Medellin sit above the global median – Muscat by 11%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-33.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 OMR 13.09

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-29.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-20.78%

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$2.91 COP 9,149

62.54%

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

$0.86 OMR 0.33

$1.94 COP 6,110

-55.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$1.52 COP 4,783

-80.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

$3.09 COP 9,721

322.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.79 OMR 4.92

$5.74 COP 18.1K

122.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$1.36 COP 4,287

65.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$2.39 COP 7,505

-47.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.70 COP 5,346

11.76%

Eggs

$2.94 OMR 1.13

$2.87 COP 9,021

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 OMR 2.94

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 OMR 2.53

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-39.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-28.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 OMR 1.31

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-16.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.57 COP 4,940

27.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 OMR 0.89

$2.13 COP 6,682

8.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$2.21 COP 6,959

-45.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$2.05 COP 6,435

-40.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.50 COP 4,728

-14.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 OMR 0.69

$1.19 COP 3,740

51.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$1.16 COP 3,640

-42.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$3.90 COP 12.2K

61.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$14.44 COP 45.4K

6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.68 OMR 2.19

$1.58 COP 4,978

259.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 OMR 3.36

$2.83 COP 8,889

208.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.49

$1.17 COP 3,672

10.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.7 OMR 29.52

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-1.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$1.28 COP 4,038

150.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$2.09 COP 6,576

23.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 OMR 3.01

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-9.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$1.30 COP 4,080

-53.08%

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

$25.1K OMR 9,665

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-9.23%

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

$22.2K OMR 8,564

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-37.35%

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

$170 OMR 65.5

$176 COP 553.4K

-3.45%

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

$30.94 OMR 11.91

$13.37 COP 42.0K

131.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$29.89 COP 94.0K

133.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 OMR 24.14

$44.76 COP 140.7K

40.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 OMR 11.24

$17.06 COP 53.6K

71.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$6.20 COP 19.5K

66.77%

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

$289 OMR 111

$793 COP 2.5M

-63.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K OMR 4,110

$9,019 COP 28.4M

18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.42

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-35.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 OMR 16.63

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-26.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 OMR 35.43

$136 COP 428.4K

-32.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 OMR 36.95

$103 COP 324.1K

-6.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 OMR 259

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-36.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 OMR 175

$680 COP 2.1M

-33.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 OMR 526

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-32.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 OMR 330

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-26.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,835 OMR 1,092

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-31.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 OMR 614

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-6.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 OMR 639

$665 COP 2.1M

149.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

10.94

-52.01%

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

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Muscat versus $1,060 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 150% higher in Muscat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Muscat versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $303 – making Muscat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $2,288 per month in Muscat and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muscat, 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 $34.00 in Muscat and $48.00 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 $1,525 in Muscat and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Muscat, where all-in costs run around $1,525, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Muscat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muscat – 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 Muscat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.