Cost of Living Comparison Between Riffa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Riffa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,384 per month in Riffa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,059 per month in Riffa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,734 per month in Riffa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Riffa costs about 37% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riffa sits 3% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 BHD 2.45

$5.99 COP 21.4K

8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.19 BHD 17.79

$32.86 COP 117.4K

43.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 BHD 2.30

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-14.10%

Cappuccino

$1.96 BHD 0.74

$1.71 COP 6,115

14.62%

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

$0.61 BHD 0.23

$1.10 COP 3,924

-44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 BHD 0.11

$0.78 COP 2,781

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.10 BHD 3.05

$1.68 COP 5,997

382.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.69 BHD 4.03

$3.07 COP 11.0K

248.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.09 COP 3,906

21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.26 COP 4,508

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$1.38 COP 4,922

71.74%

Eggs

$2.17 BHD 0.82

$2.19 COP 7,827

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 BHD 3.37

$4.40 COP 15.7K

103.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 BHD 2.62

$5.63 COP 20.1K

23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$8.89 COP 31.8K

13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.34 COP 8,349

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 BHD 0.70

$1.06 COP 3,777

74.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$1.38 COP 4,924

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$1.15 COP 4,111

-18.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.41

$1.16 COP 4,155

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$0.89 COP 3,182

61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.84 COP 2,997

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 BHD 2.49

$2.28 COP 8,145

189.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 BHD 5.02

$10.64 COP 38.0K

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 BHD 1.30

$1.20 COP 4,284

187.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 BHD 1.25

$2.47 COP 8,824

34.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.86 COP 3,056

-10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.41 BHD 12.22

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-21.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 BHD 1.71

$1.47 COP 5,264

208.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 BHD 1.52

$1.96 COP 7,009

105.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.04 BHD 10.19

$7.74 COP 27.6K

249.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$0.95 COP 3,409

-62.11%

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

$26.0K BHD 9,819

$18.1K COP 64.7M

43.65%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,776

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-22.13%

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

$122 BHD 46.10

$82.3 COP 293.7K

48.66%

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

$26.89 BHD 10.14

$9.50 COP 33.9K

183.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.00 BHD 14.70

$24.23 COP 86.5K

60.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 BHD 30.25

$25.89 COP 92.4K

209.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 BHD 3.01

$3.93 COP 14.0K

103.31%

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

$395 BHD 149

$309 COP 1.1M

27.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,656 BHD 2,509

$5,965 COP 21.3M

11.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.40 BHD 14.86

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-32.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 BHD 23.88

$32.35 COP 115.5K

95.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 BHD 25.40

$103 COP 366.4K

-34.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.72 BHD 14.98

$108 COP 387.2K

-63.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 BHD 445

$476 COP 1.7M

147.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 BHD 200

$379 COP 1.4M

40.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 BHD 815

$838 COP 3.0M

158.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 BHD 356

$724 COP 2.6M

30.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,410 BHD 532

$512 COP 1.8M

175.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-62.77%

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

Last update for Riffa: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,179 in Riffa 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 175% higher in Riffa, 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 Riffa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 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

Riffa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riffa is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,076 per month in Riffa 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 $47.00 in Riffa 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 $1,384 in Riffa 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 Riffa at $1,384. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riffa 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, Riffa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.