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: $1,059 in Qatif versus $604 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,673 in Qatif versus $930 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,288 in Qatif versus $1,256 in Ibague.

Living in Qatif is roughly 75% more expensive than Ibague, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Qatif 21% lower, Ibague 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 SAR 12.81

$4.89 COP 17.1K

-30.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.01 SAR 176

$21.63 COP 75.5K

117.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.55

$4.91 COP 17.1K

60.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.31

$0.96 COP 3,339

269.79%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$0.94 COP 3,284

-12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.66 COP 2,299

-60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 COP 2,633

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,768

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.17 COP 4,071

47.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.02

$0.75 COP 2,625

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$0.75 COP 2,620

168.00%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$1.94 COP 6,760

20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 SAR 23.62

$4.80 COP 16.7K

31.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$3.72 COP 13.0K

92.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.61

$4.79 COP 16.7K

109.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.99 COP 10.4K

-30.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$0.50 COP 1,732

194.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.27

$0.76 COP 2,637

84.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.50 COP 1,745

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$0.46 COP 1,592

178.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.16

$0.34 COP 1,196

305.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$0.47 COP 1,623

144.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$0.43 COP 1,505

18.60%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SAR 29.33

$2.89 COP 10.1K

170.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.89 COP 34.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 COP 1,716

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,220

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.67 COP 2,325

61.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.34 SAR 148

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.24

$1.49 COP 5,204

118.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.54 COP 5,380

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.52

$2.43 COP 8,491

443.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.97 COP 3,388

-38.14%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$15.7K COP 54.7M

42.01%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

$24.7K COP 86.4M

-20.13%

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

$105 SAR 396

$47.52 COP 165.9K

121.84%

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

$36.22 SAR 136

$5.95 COP 20.8K

508.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 SAR 229

$21.44 COP 74.8K

184.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$43.95 COP 153.4K

116.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.3 SAR 215

Cinema Ticket

$15.49 SAR 58.1

$3.88 COP 13.6K

299.23%

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

$393 SAR 1,476

$61.4 COP 214.3K

540.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

$2,463 COP 8.6M

240.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SAR 198

$59.5 COP 207.8K

-11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 SAR 192

$41.33 COP 144.2K

23.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SAR 343

$85.7 COP 298.9K

6.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 SAR 323

$61.0 COP 212.9K

41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$230 COP 801.4K

57.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,088

$146 COP 510.9K

98.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 SAR 2,606

$398 COP 1.4M

74.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 SAR 1,811

$212 COP 738.3K

128.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 SAR 3,612

$1,336 COP 4.7M

-27.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 SAR 2,927

$916 COP 3.2M

-14.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,308 SAR 8,661

$479 COP 1.7M

382.05%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Ibague: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $361 in Qatif and $230 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 382% 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: $47.00 in Qatif vs $22.00 in Ibague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $133 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 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Qatif pays 382% 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: $361 in Qatif versus $230 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Qatif. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,059 per month in Qatif versus $604 in Ibague – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $604 in Ibague versus $1,059 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 75% less than in Qatif. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.