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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,380 per month in Riffa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,041 per month in Riffa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,702 per month in Riffa vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Riffa costs about 34% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riffa sits 3% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 BHD 2.43

$6.16 COP 20.1K

4.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.93 BHD 17.31

$32.60 COP 106.1K

40.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 BHD 2.30

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-17.03%

Cappuccino

$2.02 BHD 0.76

$1.72 COP 5,600

17.44%

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

$0.58 BHD 0.22

$1.05 COP 3,420

-44.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 BHD 0.10

$0.77 COP 2,515

-66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 BHD 2.98

$1.69 COP 5,488

367.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.53 BHD 3.97

$3.17 COP 10.3K

232.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 BHD 0.52

$1.05 COP 3,423

30.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.30 COP 4,236

-0.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$1.40 COP 4,544

70.00%

Eggs

$2.11 BHD 0.79

$2.16 COP 7,047

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 BHD 3.26

$4.39 COP 14.3K

97.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 BHD 2.59

$5.88 COP 19.1K

17.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$8.64 COP 28.1K

16.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 BHD 0.93

$2.28 COP 7,426

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BHD 0.71

$1.11 COP 3,604

68.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$1.53 COP 4,983

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.35 COP 4,410

-10.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$1.13 COP 3,674

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

$1.13 COP 3,692

-7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 BHD 0.55

$0.85 COP 2,753

70.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.91 COP 2,975

-43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 BHD 2.49

$2.34 COP 7,630

182.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 BHD 5.05

$12.37 COP 40.3K

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 BHD 1.27

$1.20 COP 3,909

181.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BHD 1.23

$2.49 COP 8,104

31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.30

$0.84 COP 2,728

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 BHD 12.11

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-20.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 BHD 1.70

$1.42 COP 4,623

218.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.09 BHD 1.54

$1.92 COP 6,235

113.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.83 BHD 10.11

$7.66 COP 24.9K

250.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$0.99 COP 3,223

-61.62%

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

$26.4K BHD 9,941

$18.0K COP 58.7M

46.28%

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

$21.2K BHD 7,986

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-20.43%

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

$120 BHD 45.11

$80.8 COP 263.1K

48.10%

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

$26.98 BHD 10.17

$9.95 COP 32.4K

171.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 BHD 14.52

$24.18 COP 78.7K

59.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.9 BHD 30.50

$25.08 COP 81.7K

222.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 BHD 2.99

$3.98 COP 13.0K

99.25%

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

$391 BHD 147

$305 COP 993.5K

28.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,714 BHD 2,530

$6,059 COP 19.7M

10.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 BHD 14.70

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-32.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 BHD 24.01

$32.20 COP 104.8K

97.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 BHD 24.72

$101 COP 327.9K

-34.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.27 BHD 14.80

$108 COP 350.8K

-63.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 BHD 442

$477 COP 1.6M

146.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 BHD 202

$376 COP 1.2M

42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 BHD 793

$845 COP 2.7M

149.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 BHD 347

$730 COP 2.4M

26.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,381 BHD 520

$617 COP 2.0M

123.86%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,173 in Riffa 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 124% 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 $46.00 in Riffa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 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

Riffa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riffa is pricier by about 34%, 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 $2,070 per month in Riffa 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 $46.00 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 $1,380 in Riffa 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 Riffa at $1,380. 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.