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 $1,948 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,021 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,093 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 92% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ras al-Khaimah sits 45% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 AED 49.77

$5.99 COP 21.4K

126.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.69 AED 183

$32.86 COP 117.4K

51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 AED 24.26

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$5.63 AED 20.67

$1.71 COP 6,115

229.24%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.10 COP 3,924

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 AED 2.49

$0.78 COP 2,781

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 AED 40.37

$1.68 COP 5,997

554.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.23 AED 37.59

$3.07 COP 11.0K

233.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 AED 6.00

$1.09 COP 3,906

49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 AED 5.39

$1.26 COP 4,508

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 AED 6.31

$1.38 COP 4,922

24.64%

Eggs

$2.31 AED 8.49

$2.19 COP 7,827

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 AED 47.33

$4.40 COP 15.7K

192.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 AED 28.02

$5.63 COP 20.1K

35.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 AED 55.2

$8.89 COP 31.8K

69.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 AED 8.13

$2.34 COP 8,349

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 AED 6.61

$1.06 COP 3,777

69.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.50

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 AED 4.62

$1.38 COP 4,924

-8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 AED 3.53

$1.15 COP 4,111

-16.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.67

$1.16 COP 4,155

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 AED 6.45

$0.89 COP 3,182

97.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 AED 1.83

$0.84 COP 2,997

-40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 AED 23.68

$2.28 COP 8,145

182.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 AED 49.77

$10.64 COP 38.0K

27.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 AED 9.70

$1.20 COP 4,284

120.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 AED 10.56

$2.47 COP 8,824

16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 AED 8.61

$0.86 COP 3,056

172.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 AED 231

$41.40 COP 147.9K

52.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 AED 5.35

$1.47 COP 5,264

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 AED 3.45

$1.96 COP 7,009

-52.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 AED 30.78

$7.74 COP 27.6K

8.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 AED 2.76

$0.95 COP 3,409

-21.05%

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

$44.9K AED 164.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

147.46%

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

$22.8K AED 83.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-13.84%

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

$148 AED 544

$82.3 COP 293.7K

80.07%

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

$44.24 AED 162

$9.50 COP 33.9K

365.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.6 AED 366

$24.23 COP 86.5K

310.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 AED 207

$25.89 COP 92.4K

117.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.33 AED 148

$19.00 COP 67.9K

112.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 AED 49.02

$3.93 COP 14.0K

239.69%

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

$244 AED 895

$309 COP 1.1M

-21.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,084 AED 18.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-14.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 AED 426

$58.7 COP 209.5K

97.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$32.35 COP 115.5K

65.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 503

$103 COP 366.4K

33.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 500

$108 COP 387.2K

25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 AED 2,644

$476 COP 1.7M

51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 AED 2,810

$379 COP 1.4M

101.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 AED 7,241

$838 COP 3.0M

135.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 AED 5,599

$724 COP 2.6M

110.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,839 AED 17.8K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

73.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,944 AED 7,139

$1,211 COP 4.3M

60.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 AED 5,896

$512 COP 1.8M

213.66%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $476 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 214% 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 $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $188 – 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 92%, 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 $2,922 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,519 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 $50.0 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 $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,948. 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.