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: $1,055 in Qatif versus $613 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,678 in Qatif versus $929 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,301 in Qatif versus $1,246 in Ibague.

Living in Qatif is roughly 72% more expensive than Ibague, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Qatif 21% lower, Ibague 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 SAR 12.71

$4.77 COP 17.4K

-28.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.21 SAR 181

$21.76 COP 79.2K

121.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 SAR 30.38

$5.03 COP 18.3K

61.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

Cappuccino

$3.53 SAR 13.23

$0.95 COP 3,463

271.58%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$1.03 COP 3,729

-25.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.65 COP 2,349

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.76 COP 2,756

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 8,074

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.12 COP 4,060

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$0.75 COP 2,732

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$0.71 COP 2,577

195.77%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$2.01 COP 7,311

15.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.26

$4.66 COP 17.0K

33.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 SAR 26.83

$3.55 COP 12.9K

101.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.58

$4.81 COP 17.5K

108.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.01

$2.99 COP 10.9K

-28.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.76

$0.47 COP 1,695

227.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.38

$0.69 COP 2,527

108.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 SAR 2.68

$0.49 COP 1,793

46.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.78

$0.50 COP 1,810

156.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$0.35 COP 1,272

280.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.15

$0.46 COP 1,661

141.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$0.41 COP 1,477

24.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.17

$2.85 COP 10.4K

163.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.68 COP 35.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,696

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,120

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.68 COP 2,487

60.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.91 SAR 150

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.71

$1.49 COP 5,412

109.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.51 COP 5,482

3.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$2.43 COP 8,850

451.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.00 COP 3,638

-37.00%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

$16.0K COP 58.3M

40.25%

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

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

$25.1K COP 91.5M

-22.03%

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

$103 SAR 387

$47.21 COP 171.7K

118.70%

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

$37.05 SAR 139

$5.85 COP 21.3K

533.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 SAR 221

$22.12 COP 80.4K

166.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 357

$44.46 COP 161.7K

114.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.2 SAR 214

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 SAR 57.1

$3.90 COP 14.2K

290.26%

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

$392 SAR 1,470

$61.8 COP 224.6K

534.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,106 SAR 30.4K

$2,466 COP 9.0M

228.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SAR 196

$59.1 COP 215.0K

-11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 SAR 190

$42.93 COP 156.1K

18.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 SAR 343

$84.7 COP 308.1K

7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 SAR 320

$61.5 COP 223.8K

38.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,333

$232 COP 842.0K

53.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$148 COP 536.6K

91.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 SAR 2,661

$401 COP 1.5M

76.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 SAR 1,855

$212 COP 770.1K

133.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$943 SAR 3,537

$1,330 COP 4.8M

-29.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$776 SAR 2,910

$919 COP 3.3M

-15.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,869 SAR 7,009

$488 COP 1.8M

282.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

12.93

-66.51%

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

Last update for Qatif: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ibague: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Qatif and $232 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 283% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Qatif vs $22.00 in Ibague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $130 per month, with Ibague 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

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Qatif pays 283% more on average, 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: $356 in Qatif versus $232 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Qatif. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,055 per month in Qatif versus $613 in Ibague – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $613 in Ibague versus $1,055 in Qatif, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Qatif. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibague is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Qatif, 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 Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Qatif. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.