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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Rabigh vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,674 per month in Rabigh vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,228 per month in Rabigh vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Rabigh costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Rabigh and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rabigh 16% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 SAR 15.17

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-31.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.35 SAR 80.2

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-35.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 SAR 27.25

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-2.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 SAR 2.90

Cappuccino

$2.42 SAR 9.08

$1.65 COP 5,207

46.67%

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

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$1.10 COP 3,468

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 SAR 0.49

$0.78 COP 2,458

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.10 COP 3,474

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$1.26 COP 3,962

-79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.61

$1.38 COP 4,349

65.94%

Eggs

$2.20 SAR 8.25

$2.18 COP 6,858

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 SAR 19.64

$4.49 COP 14.1K

16.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 SAR 17.69

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.71 SAR 47.74

$8.97 COP 28.2K

41.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.32 COP 7,308

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.06 COP 3,352

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.52 COP 4,774

3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.36 COP 4,270

-0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.13 COP 3,552

17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.17 COP 3,689

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$0.90 COP 2,838

18.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.90 COP 2,823

-34.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.49

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SAR 9.50

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$2.23 COP 7,034

17.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.92

$0.85 COP 2,687

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-4.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.11

$1.42 COP 4,459

127.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.95 COP 6,141

-5.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$7.89 COP 24.8K

92.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.99 COP 3,118

-36.36%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

52.75%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-20.14%

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

$107 SAR 403

$83.0 COP 261.4K

29.21%

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

$31.87 SAR 120

$9.70 COP 30.5K

228.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$23.52 COP 74.1K

198.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$25.26 COP 79.5K

242.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.88 SAR 135

$19.10 COP 60.1K

87.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 SAR 50.3

$3.95 COP 12.4K

238.99%

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

$402 SAR 1,509

$316 COP 994.2K

27.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

7.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 SAR 243

$60.0 COP 188.9K

7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$31.82 COP 100.2K

81.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 SAR 354

$102 COP 320.1K

-7.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 SAR 319

$107 COP 338.3K

-20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 SAR 1,065

$475 COP 1.5M

-40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 SAR 1,453

$374 COP 1.2M

3.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,965

$849 COP 2.7M

-38.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 SAR 2,335

$719 COP 2.3M

-13.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-17.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,488 SAR 5,586

$1,441 COP 4.5M

3.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.43

-66.49%

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

Last update for Rabigh: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Rabigh 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Rabigh versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $163 vs $193 – making Rabigh 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

Rabigh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rabigh is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,681 per month in Rabigh 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 $21.00 in Rabigh 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 $1,121 in Rabigh 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 Rabigh at $1,121. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabigh 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, Rabigh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.