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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Qairawan vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,259 per month in Qairawan vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,189 per month in Qairawan vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Qairawan is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Qairawan sits 3% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.87 KWD 2.41

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 KWD 20.11

$44.53 COP 136.5K

47.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 KWD 2.81

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-1.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Cappuccino

$5.55 KWD 1.70

$2.90 COP 8,874

91.38%

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

$0.65 KWD 0.20

$1.81 COP 5,541

-64.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.55 COP 4,741

-78.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$1.38 COP 4,230

-5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KWD 0.25

$2.45 COP 7,517

-66.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 KWD 0.67

$1.51 COP 4,617

44.37%

Eggs

$2.16 KWD 0.66

$2.78 COP 8,516

-22.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.72 KWD 1.45

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-47.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 KWD 1.88

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-42.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.45 KWD 2.59

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-42.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 KWD 0.79

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-35.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.54

$1.38 COP 4,219

28.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$2.30 COP 7,056

-46.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.40

$2.02 COP 6,185

-34.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 KWD 0.36

$2.09 COP 6,390

-43.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

$1.63 COP 4,996

-42.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.08 COP 3,313

65.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KWD 0.16

$1.25 COP 3,843

-57.60%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.55 KWD 1.09

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 KWD 0.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 KWD 0.81

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-34.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 KWD 0.28

$1.18 COP 3,611

-22.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 KWD 15.35

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-37.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 KWD 0.88

$1.61 COP 4,920

78.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.56 KWD 1.09

$2.13 COP 6,533

67.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 KWD 5.24

$8.52 COP 26.1K

100.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$1.35 COP 4,142

-72.59%

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

$22.4K KWD 6,877

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-20.83%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,272

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-42.70%

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

$65.3 KWD 20.02

$151 COP 463.8K

-56.88%

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

$19.97 KWD 6.13

$13.10 COP 40.1K

52.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.72 KWD 10.04

$32.30 COP 99.0K

1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 KWD 31.42

$46.33 COP 141.9K

121.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.82 KWD 10.99

$17.26 COP 52.9K

107.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 KWD 3.32

$6.43 COP 19.7K

68.58%

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

$262 KWD 80.4

$835 COP 2.6M

-68.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,505 KWD 2,608

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-4.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.93 KWD 11.63

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-57.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.31 KWD 12.36

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-27.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 KWD 33.17

$137 COP 418.5K

-20.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 KWD 25.26

$109 COP 335.1K

-24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 KWD 230

$952 COP 2.9M

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 KWD 154

$668 COP 2.0M

-24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 KWD 476

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 KWD 428

$1,148 COP 3.5M

21.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

10.43

-37.39%

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

Last update for Qairawan: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $751 in Qairawan versus $952 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 $66.0 in Qairawan versus $45.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Qairawan vs $297 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,994 per month in Qairawan and $2,530 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qairawan, 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 $66.0 in Qairawan and $45.00 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 $1,330 in Qairawan and $1,687 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 Qairawan, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Qairawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qairawan – 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 Qairawan. 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.