Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabigh and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabigh and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,076 per month in Rabigh vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,745 per month in Rabigh vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,415 per month in Rabigh vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-14.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$47.87 COP 152.0K

9.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 SAR 31.81

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-14.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SAR 9.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.91

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.91

$3.13 COP 9,937

18.21%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.81

$1.91 COP 6,058

-47.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$1.51 COP 4,794

-84.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.44 COP 4,587

17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$2.49 COP 7,894

-48.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.77 COP 5,631

33.33%

Eggs

$2.37 SAR 8.90

$2.96 COP 9,396

-19.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 SAR 23.94

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-36.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 SAR 30.46

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-19.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 SAR 48.42

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-9.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-49.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

$1.61 COP 5,106

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$2.25 COP 7,129

-30.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$2.25 COP 7,150

-25.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.25

$2.04 COP 6,486

-44.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.54 COP 4,873

-16.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.18

$1.17 COP 3,715

-5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$1.31 COP 4,148

-59.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 16.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.36

$3.90 COP 12.4K

73.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.22 COP 3,858

-10.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.79 SAR 134

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-55.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 SAR 12.27

$1.31 COP 4,155

149.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$2.19 COP 6,944

-20.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.66 SAR 51.3

$8.71 COP 27.7K

56.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.37 COP 4,334

-53.28%

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

$47.5K SAR 178.4K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

70.60%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.2K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-40.32%

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

$101 SAR 381

$177 COP 562.9K

-42.84%

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

$38.20 SAR 143

$13.88 COP 44.1K

175.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 SAR 250

$29.72 COP 94.4K

124.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 SAR 298

$44.88 COP 142.5K

76.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.44 SAR 141

$17.12 COP 54.4K

118.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 SAR 45.20

$6.65 COP 21.1K

80.90%

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

$746 SAR 2,800

$813 COP 2.6M

-8.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K SAR 60.8K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

76.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 SAR 260

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-22.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 SAR 230

$59.0 COP 187.2K

3.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$138 COP 438.8K

-29.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 SAR 363

$102 COP 324.2K

-5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 SAR 1,244

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-68.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 SAR 884

$663 COP 2.1M

-64.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 SAR 2,313

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 SAR 1,618

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-58.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 SAR 9,946

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-36.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 SAR 4,928

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-21.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

10.94

-50.73%

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

Last update for Rabigh: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Rabigh 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Rabigh versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Rabigh vs $305 in Medellin – so Rabigh 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

Rabigh 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 $1,614 per month in Rabigh 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 Rabigh, 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 $52.0 in Rabigh 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 $1,076 in Rabigh and $1,681 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 Rabigh, where all-in costs run around $1,076, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Rabigh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabigh – 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 Rabigh. 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.