Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,312 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,143 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem costs about 30% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Sabah Al Salem and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sabah Al Salem 2% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 KWD 2.32

$5.99 COP 21.4K

26.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 KWD 18.00

$32.86 COP 117.4K

78.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 KWD 2.63

$7.09 COP 25.3K

21.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$1.71 COP 6,115

212.28%

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

$0.62 KWD 0.19

$1.10 COP 3,924

-43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.78 COP 2,781

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.09 COP 3,906

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

$1.26 COP 4,508

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.38 COP 4,922

19.57%

Eggs

$2.04 KWD 0.62

$2.19 COP 7,827

-6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 KWD 1.40

$4.40 COP 15.7K

4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 KWD 2.05

$5.63 COP 20.1K

18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 KWD 3.04

$8.89 COP 31.8K

11.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KWD 0.72

$2.34 COP 8,349

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.06 COP 3,777

55.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.50 COP 5,374

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.38 COP 4,924

3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.15 COP 4,111

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 KWD 0.34

$1.16 COP 4,155

-5.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 KWD 0.52

$0.89 COP 3,182

89.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.84 COP 2,997

-45.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 KWD 0.88

$2.28 COP 8,145

25.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$0.86 COP 3,056

4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.87 KWD 13.76

$41.40 COP 147.9K

8.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 KWD 0.97

$1.47 COP 5,264

116.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$1.96 COP 7,009

61.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.57 KWD 5.08

$7.74 COP 27.6K

114.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$0.95 COP 3,409

-62.11%

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

$20.5K KWD 6,280

$18.1K COP 64.7M

12.94%

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

$18.9K KWD 5,794

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-28.68%

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

$63.6 KWD 19.50

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-22.69%

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

$18.43 KWD 5.65

$9.50 COP 33.9K

94.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.24 KWD 8.05

$24.23 COP 86.5K

8.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.5 KWD 29.30

$25.89 COP 92.4K

269.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.83 KWD 14.36

$19.00 COP 67.9K

146.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 KWD 3.46

$3.93 COP 14.0K

187.28%

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

$278 KWD 85.4

$309 COP 1.1M

-10.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,070 KWD 1,862

$5,965 COP 21.3M

1.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.73 KWD 13.11

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-27.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.21 KWD 12.95

$32.35 COP 115.5K

30.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 KWD 26.96

$103 COP 366.4K

-14.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 KWD 25.07

$108 COP 387.2K

-24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 KWD 248

$476 COP 1.7M

69.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 KWD 188

$379 COP 1.4M

61.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 KWD 486

$838 COP 3.0M

89.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 KWD 402

$724 COP 2.6M

80.88%

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)

$2,958 KWD 907

$512 COP 1.8M

477.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

13.43

-46.84%

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

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $808 in Sabah Al Salem 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 478% higher in Sabah Al Salem, 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 $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Sabah Al Salem vs $188 in Medellin – so Sabah Al Salem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Sabah Al Salem vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabah Al Salem is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,968 per month in Sabah Al Salem 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 $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem 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 $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem at $1,312. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem 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, Sabah Al Salem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.