Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Ibague Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Ibague

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,080 in Qatif versus $1,145 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,638 in Qatif versus $1,868 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,196 in Qatif versus $2,591 in Ibague.

Living in Qatif costs roughly 6% less than in Ibague, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Qatif 21% lower, Ibague 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 SAR 13.38

$8.15 COP 25.4K

-56.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 SAR 132

$41.89 COP 130.7K

-16.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 SAR 25.07

$7.86 COP 24.5K

-15.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

Cappuccino

$2.95 SAR 11.07

$1.58 COP 4,919

86.71%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$1.15 COP 3,580

-36.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 SAR 0.58

$0.80 COP 2,488

-81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 COP 4,469

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.16 COP 3,614

51.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$2.45 COP 7,634

-61.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.14 COP 3,563

71.05%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.30 COP 7,172

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.70 SAR 21.42

$8.09 COP 25.2K

-29.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.31

$7.09 COP 22.1K

10.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 SAR 48.76

$10.66 COP 33.3K

21.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$3.54 COP 11.1K

-38.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$0.98 COP 3,062

75.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.44 COP 4,487

10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.76 COP 5,480

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.21

$0.82 COP 2,572

36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.77 COP 2,388

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.84 COP 2,636

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$1.18 COP 3,673

-57.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.85

$4.57 COP 14.3K

44.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 COP 40.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,446

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 COP 9,385

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.08 COP 3,382

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.12 SAR 136

$64.1 COP 199.9K

-43.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.37 COP 4,272

72.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.39 COP 1,225

30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.20

$2.21 COP 6,899

492.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$1.30 COP 4,066

-53.08%

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

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

$20.9K COP 65.3M

71.16%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

$36.2K COP 112.8M

-42.41%

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

$103 SAR 388

$41.40 COP 129.2K

149.40%

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

$33.42 SAR 126

$9.86 COP 30.8K

238.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SAR 219

$14.72 COP 45.9K

296.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 SAR 311

$28.77 COP 89.8K

187.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.55 SAR 141

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.60

$4.91 COP 15.3K

169.04%

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

$270 SAR 1,015

$488 COP 1.5M

-44.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

$6,634 COP 20.7M

17.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 SAR 118

$25.41 COP 79.3K

23.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.90 SAR 78.5

$49.52 COP 154.5K

-57.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 SAR 355

$80.5 COP 251.2K

17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 SAR 340

$115 COP 359.8K

-21.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 SAR 2,157

$686 COP 2.1M

-16.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,298

$483 COP 1.5M

-28.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 SAR 3,281

$1,046 COP 3.3M

-16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 SAR 2,055

$976 COP 3.0M

-43.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$951 SAR 3,573

$2,008 COP 6.3M

-52.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 SAR 2,942

$1,693 COP 5.3M

-53.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,249 SAR 8,448

$640 COP 2.0M

251.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

12.81

-57.06%

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

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ibague: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $574 in Qatif and $686 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 252% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Qatif vs $42.00 in Ibague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $240 per month, with Qatif cheaper across the board.

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

Qatif vs Ibague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qatif is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 252% higher in Qatif, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $574 in Qatif versus $686 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,080 per month in Qatif versus $1,145 in Ibague – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Qatif runs roughly 77% less than in Ibague. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,080 in Qatif versus $1,145 in Ibague, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Ibague. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Qatif is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ibague, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Qatif and Ibague are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Ibague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.