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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Qatif vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,707 per month in Qatif vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,328 per month in Qatif vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Qatif costs about 8% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Qatif and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Qatif 18% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 SAR 12.93

$5.91 COP 18.4K

-41.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.42 SAR 178

$32.96 COP 102.7K

43.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$7.43 COP 23.1K

8.34%

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

$1.65 COP 5,153

121.82%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$1.10 COP 3,432

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.78 COP 2,433

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.10 COP 3,439

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.04

$1.26 COP 3,921

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

$1.38 COP 4,304

47.10%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.18 COP 6,788

6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 SAR 22.63

$4.49 COP 14.0K

34.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.72

$5.79 COP 18.0K

27.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 SAR 36.29

$8.97 COP 27.9K

7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.32 COP 7,232

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$1.06 COP 3,318

39.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$1.52 COP 4,725

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$1.36 COP 4,226

-44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.13 COP 3,515

11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.17 COP 3,651

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.90 COP 2,809

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.90 COP 2,794

-38.89%

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

$2.23 COP 6,961

244.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.85 COP 2,660

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.26 SAR 147

$41.62 COP 129.7K

-5.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.71

$1.42 COP 4,413

119.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.95 COP 6,078

-16.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 SAR 49.64

$7.89 COP 24.6K

67.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.99 COP 3,086

-34.34%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

$17.6K COP 54.8M

28.22%

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

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

$26.8K COP 83.5M

-26.66%

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

$104 SAR 392

$83.0 COP 258.7K

25.64%

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

$37.20 SAR 140

$9.70 COP 30.2K

283.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 SAR 224

$23.52 COP 73.3K

153.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.2 SAR 354

$25.26 COP 78.7K

272.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.9 SAR 214

$19.10 COP 59.5K

197.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$3.95 COP 12.3K

288.86%

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

$405 SAR 1,521

$316 COP 984.0K

28.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

$5,975 COP 18.6M

35.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 SAR 192

$60.0 COP 187.0K

-14.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 SAR 191

$31.82 COP 99.1K

60.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 SAR 343

$102 COP 316.8K

-10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 SAR 322

$107 COP 334.8K

-20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 SAR 1,351

$475 COP 1.5M

-24.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,054

$374 COP 1.2M

-24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 SAR 2,692

$849 COP 2.6M

-15.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 SAR 1,826

$719 COP 2.2M

-32.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 SAR 3,562

$3,265 COP 10.2M

-70.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 SAR 2,990

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-44.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,248 SAR 8,439

$624 COP 1.9M

259.92%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Qatif versus $475 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 260% 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 $193 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 8%, 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 $1,630 per month in Qatif and $1,504 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 $1,087 in Qatif and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Qatif at $1,087. 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.