Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,943 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,976 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,008 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 88% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ras al-Khaimah sits 45% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 AED 49.46

$6.16 COP 20.0K

118.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$32.60 COP 106.0K

51.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-5.18%

Cappuccino

$5.55 AED 20.37

$1.72 COP 5,592

222.67%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.05 COP 3,416

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 AED 2.63

$0.77 COP 2,511

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

$1.69 COP 5,480

543.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

$3.17 COP 10.3K

217.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.05 COP 3,418

49.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.32

$1.30 COP 4,230

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$1.40 COP 4,538

21.43%

Eggs

$2.21 AED 8.11

$2.16 COP 7,037

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 AED 47.15

$4.39 COP 14.3K

192.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 AED 27.87

$5.88 COP 19.1K

29.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 AED 56.1

$8.64 COP 28.1K

76.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.03

$2.28 COP 7,415

-3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 AED 6.47

$1.11 COP 3,599

58.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$1.53 COP 4,976

-1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.80

$1.35 COP 4,405

-2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.55

$1.13 COP 3,669

-14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.80

$1.13 COP 3,687

-8.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$0.85 COP 2,749

111.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.86

$0.91 COP 2,971

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.10

$2.34 COP 7,619

168.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

$12.37 COP 40.2K

9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

$1.20 COP 3,904

119.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

$2.49 COP 8,094

18.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 AED 8.68

$0.84 COP 2,724

180.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 AED 236

$40.57 COP 131.9K

58.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$1.42 COP 4,617

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$1.92 COP 6,227

-51.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

$7.66 COP 24.9K

9.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$0.99 COP 3,219

-19.19%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

156.56%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-15.82%

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

$149 AED 549

$80.8 COP 262.7K

84.88%

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

$45.04 AED 165

$9.95 COP 32.3K

352.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$24.18 COP 78.6K

318.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 AED 207

$25.08 COP 81.5K

124.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 AED 151

$19.15 COP 62.3K

114.78%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 AED 49.35

$3.98 COP 13.0K

237.69%

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

$248 AED 912

$305 COP 992.2K

-18.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,208 AED 19.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-14.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 AED 430

$58.1 COP 189.0K

101.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$32.20 COP 104.7K

66.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 502

$101 COP 327.5K

35.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 498

$108 COP 350.3K

25.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 AED 2,637

$477 COP 1.5M

50.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 AED 2,874

$376 COP 1.2M

108.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 AED 7,322

$845 COP 2.7M

136.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 AED 5,554

$730 COP 2.4M

107.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,828 AED 17.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

50.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 AED 7,217

$1,372 COP 4.5M

43.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

$617 COP 2.0M

154.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

13.43

-63.66%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $718 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $477 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 155% higher in Ras al-Khaimah, 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $193 – making Medellin 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

Ras al-Khaimah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,914 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,546 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah 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 $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah 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, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.