Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,080 per month in Qatif vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,638 per month in Qatif vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Qatif vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Qatif is about 36% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Qatif sits 21% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 SAR 13.38

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-55.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 SAR 132

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-26.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 SAR 25.07

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-32.56%

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

$3.13 COP 9,767

-5.75%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$1.91 COP 5,954

-61.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 SAR 0.58

$1.51 COP 4,712

-90.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.44 COP 4,509

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$2.49 COP 7,759

-62.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.77 COP 5,535

10.17%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.96 COP 9,235

-28.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.70 SAR 21.42

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-43.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.31

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-22.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 SAR 48.76

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-9.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-47.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.61 COP 5,019

6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.25 COP 7,007

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$2.25 COP 7,028

-71.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.21

$2.04 COP 6,375

-45.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.54 COP 4,790

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.17 COP 3,651

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$1.31 COP 4,077

-61.83%

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

$3.90 COP 12.2K

69.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.22 COP 3,792

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.12 SAR 136

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-55.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.31 COP 4,084

80.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$2.19 COP 6,825

-76.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.20

$8.71 COP 27.2K

50.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$1.37 COP 4,260

-55.47%

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

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

28.74%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-41.80%

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

$103 SAR 388

$177 COP 553.2K

-41.77%

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

$33.42 SAR 126

$13.88 COP 43.3K

140.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SAR 219

$29.72 COP 92.8K

96.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 SAR 311

$44.88 COP 140.1K

84.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.55 SAR 141

$17.12 COP 53.4K

119.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.60

$6.65 COP 20.7K

98.65%

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

$270 SAR 1,015

$813 COP 2.5M

-66.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-15.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 SAR 118

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-64.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.90 SAR 78.5

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-64.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 SAR 355

$138 COP 431.2K

-31.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 SAR 340

$102 COP 318.7K

-11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 SAR 2,157

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,298

$663 COP 2.1M

-47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 SAR 3,281

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 SAR 2,055

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-46.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$951 SAR 3,573

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-77.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 SAR 2,942

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-53.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,249 SAR 8,448

$678 COP 2.1M

231.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

10.94

-49.73%

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

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $574 in Qatif versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 232% higher in Qatif, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Qatif versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $305 – making Qatif the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, 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 $1,620 per month in Qatif and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qatif, 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 $35.00 in Qatif and $48.00 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 $1,080 in Qatif and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Qatif, where all-in costs run around $1,080, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Qatif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qatif – 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 Qatif. 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.