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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Qatif vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,673 per month in Qatif vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Qatif vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Qatif costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Qatif and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Qatif 21% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 SAR 12.81

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-42.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.01 SAR 176

$33.33 COP 116.3K

41.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.55

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.85%

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

$1.63 COP 5,687

117.79%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$1.09 COP 3,821

-24.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.73 COP 2,548

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.05 COP 3,662

64.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.02

$1.29 COP 4,515

-37.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$1.32 COP 4,617

52.27%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$2.27 COP 7,927

2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 SAR 23.62

$4.35 COP 15.2K

44.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$5.88 COP 20.5K

21.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.61

$8.61 COP 30.0K

16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.25 COP 7,844

-7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.07 COP 3,733

37.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.27

$1.52 COP 5,322

-7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.42 COP 4,964

-50.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.17 COP 4,084

9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.16

$1.17 COP 4,077

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$0.89 COP 3,096

29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$0.90 COP 3,146

-43.33%

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

$2.25 COP 7,837

247.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.84 COP 2,916

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.34 SAR 148

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-6.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.24

$1.41 COP 4,912

131.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.90 COP 6,634

-15.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.52

$7.75 COP 27.0K

70.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.01 COP 3,509

-40.59%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

26.56%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-25.41%

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

$105 SAR 396

$83.7 COP 292.1K

25.98%

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

$36.22 SAR 136

$9.45 COP 33.0K

283.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 SAR 229

$24.11 COP 84.1K

153.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$25.31 COP 88.3K

276.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.3 SAR 215

$19.14 COP 66.8K

199.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.49 SAR 58.1

$4.10 COP 14.3K

277.80%

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

$393 SAR 1,476

$312 COP 1.1M

26.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

40.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SAR 198

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-9.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 SAR 192

$32.56 COP 113.6K

56.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SAR 343

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 SAR 323

$109 COP 378.8K

-20.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$482 COP 1.7M

-25.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,088

$379 COP 1.3M

-23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 SAR 2,606

$837 COP 2.9M

-17.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 SAR 1,811

$723 COP 2.5M

-33.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 SAR 3,612

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-66.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 SAR 2,927

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-36.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,308 SAR 8,661

$541 COP 1.9M

326.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

13.43

-67.76%

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

Last update for Qatif: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Qatif versus $482 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 327% higher in Qatif, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Qatif versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Qatif vs $190 in Medellin – so Qatif wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Qatif is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,589 per month in Qatif and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $47.00 in Qatif and $33.00 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 $1,059 in Qatif and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Qatif at $1,059. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qatif it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Qatif makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.