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: $1,087 in Qatif versus $612 in Ibague.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,707 in Qatif versus $920 in Ibague.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,328 in Qatif versus $1,227 in Ibague.

Living in Qatif is roughly 77% more expensive than in Ibague, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Qatif 18% lower, Ibague 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 SAR 12.93

$4.80 COP 15.0K

-28.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.42 SAR 178

$22.02 COP 68.6K

115.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$4.89 COP 15.2K

64.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$3.66 SAR 13.72

$1.01 COP 3,144

262.38%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$0.95 COP 2,962

-18.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.65 COP 2,027

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.71 COP 2,209

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 COP 6,732

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.17 COP 3,641

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.04

$0.72 COP 2,240

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

$0.75 COP 2,347

170.67%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.00 COP 6,237

16.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 SAR 22.63

$4.71 COP 14.7K

28.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.72

$3.58 COP 11.1K

106.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 SAR 36.29

$4.88 COP 15.2K

98.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.93 COP 9,114

-27.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$0.46 COP 1,434

221.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$0.74 COP 2,309

94.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$0.50 COP 1,550

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$0.50 COP 1,557

152.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$0.37 COP 1,162

264.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.46 COP 1,425

139.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.41 COP 1,277

34.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.68 SAR 28.83

$2.85 COP 8,895

169.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 COP 33.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 COP 1,423

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 1,981

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.72 COP 2,250

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.26 SAR 147

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.71

$1.48 COP 4,617

110.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.48 COP 4,622

10.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 SAR 49.64

$2.36 COP 7,362

460.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.99 COP 3,095

-34.34%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

$16.0K COP 49.9M

41.04%

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

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

$25.4K COP 79.2M

-22.70%

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

$104 SAR 392

$46.91 COP 146.2K

122.32%

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

$37.20 SAR 140

$5.84 COP 18.2K

536.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 SAR 224

$21.65 COP 67.4K

175.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.2 SAR 354

$43.29 COP 134.9K

117.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.9 SAR 214

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$3.97 COP 12.4K

286.90%

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

$405 SAR 1,521

$61.2 COP 190.8K

561.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

$2,427 COP 7.6M

234.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 SAR 192

$58.2 COP 181.4K

-11.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 SAR 191

$41.68 COP 129.9K

22.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 SAR 343

$84.3 COP 262.7K

8.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 SAR 322

$60.7 COP 189.3K

41.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 SAR 1,351

$235 COP 731.0K

53.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,054

$144 COP 448.2K

95.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 SAR 2,692

$394 COP 1.2M

81.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 SAR 1,826

$215 COP 670.8K

125.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 SAR 3,562

$1,476 COP 4.6M

-35.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 SAR 2,990

$1,006 COP 3.1M

-20.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,248 SAR 8,439

$557 COP 1.7M

303.71%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ibague: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Qatif and $235 in Ibague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 304% 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 $134 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 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 304% 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: $360 in Qatif versus $235 in Ibague. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Qatif. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,087 per month in Qatif versus $612 in Ibague – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $612 in Ibague versus $1,087 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 77% less than in Qatif. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.