Cost of Living Comparison Between Qairawan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Qairawan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,318 per month in Qairawan vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,231 per month in Qairawan vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,144 per month in Qairawan vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Qairawan costs about 30% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Qairawan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Qairawan 2% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 KWD 2.34

$5.95 COP 20.8K

27.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 17.97

$33.33 COP 116.3K

75.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 KWD 2.57

$7.23 COP 25.2K

15.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$5.43 KWD 1.67

$1.63 COP 5,687

233.13%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$1.09 COP 3,821

-41.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.73 COP 2,548

-53.42%

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)

$1.48 KWD 0.46

$1.05 COP 3,662

40.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 KWD 0.34

$1.29 COP 4,515

-14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.32 COP 4,617

31.06%

Eggs

$1.95 KWD 0.60

$2.27 COP 7,927

-14.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 KWD 1.34

$4.35 COP 15.2K

0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KWD 1.94

$5.88 COP 20.5K

7.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 KWD 3.02

$8.61 COP 30.0K

14.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 KWD 0.69

$2.25 COP 7,844

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.07 COP 3,733

55.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.52 COP 5,322

3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

$1.42 COP 4,964

-3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.17 COP 4,084

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KWD 0.35

$1.17 COP 4,077

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 KWD 0.51

$0.89 COP 3,096

88.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.90 COP 3,146

-48.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 KWD 0.91

$2.25 COP 7,837

31.56%

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)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$0.84 COP 2,916

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.36 KWD 13.32

$41.95 COP 146.4K

3.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 KWD 1.00

$1.41 COP 4,912

130.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$1.90 COP 6,634

67.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 KWD 5.06

$7.75 COP 27.0K

112.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.01 COP 3,509

-66.34%

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

$20.7K KWD 6,345

$17.6K COP 61.4M

17.50%

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

$19.4K KWD 5,949

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-26.92%

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

$63.1 KWD 19.39

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-24.56%

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

$18.05 KWD 5.54

$9.45 COP 33.0K

91.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.16 KWD 8.04

$24.11 COP 84.1K

8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.1 KWD 29.21

$25.31 COP 88.3K

275.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.70 KWD 14.35

$19.14 COP 66.8K

143.99%

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 KWD 3.52

$4.10 COP 14.3K

179.51%

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

$285 KWD 87.5

$312 COP 1.1M

-8.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,006 KWD 1,845

$5,993 COP 20.9M

0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.33 KWD 12.70

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.57 KWD 13.08

$32.56 COP 113.6K

30.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 KWD 26.77

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 KWD 25.16

$109 COP 378.8K

-24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 KWD 242

$482 COP 1.7M

63.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 KWD 190

$379 COP 1.3M

63.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 KWD 483

$837 COP 2.9M

87.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 KWD 393

$723 COP 2.5M

76.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

13.43

-46.84%

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

Last update for Qairawan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Qairawan 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Qairawan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Qairawan vs $190 in Medellin – so Qairawan 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

Qairawan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Qairawan is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,977 per month in Qairawan 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 $59.0 in Qairawan 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 $1,318 in Qairawan 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 Qairawan at $1,318. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qairawan 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, Qairawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.