Cost of Living Comparison Between Salmiya and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Salmiya and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,416 per month in Salmiya vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,275 per month in Salmiya vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,134 per month in Salmiya vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Salmiya sits 6% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.22 KWD 2.83

$6.16 COP 20.1K

49.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.01 KWD 15.06

$32.60 COP 106.1K

50.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 KWD 2.47

$7.34 COP 23.9K

9.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

Cappuccino

$5.09 KWD 1.56

$1.72 COP 5,600

195.93%

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

$0.42 KWD 0.13

$1.05 COP 3,420

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.77 COP 2,515

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$1.05 COP 3,423

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$1.30 COP 4,236

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.40 COP 4,544

22.86%

Eggs

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$2.16 COP 7,047

-12.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 KWD 1.59

$4.39 COP 14.3K

17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 KWD 2.04

$5.88 COP 19.1K

13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.76 KWD 2.69

$8.64 COP 28.1K

1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 KWD 0.71

$2.28 COP 7,426

2.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.11 COP 3,604

49.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.53 COP 4,983

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 KWD 0.46

$1.35 COP 4,410

11.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.13 COP 3,674

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.13 COP 3,692

15.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$0.85 COP 2,753

89.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.91 COP 2,975

-50.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KWD 0.92

$2.34 COP 7,630

28.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 KWD 0.33

$0.84 COP 2,728

29.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.09 KWD 14.78

$40.57 COP 132.1K

18.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

$1.42 COP 4,623

133.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

$1.92 COP 6,235

64.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 KWD 4.08

$7.66 COP 24.9K

73.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.99 COP 3,223

-62.63%

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

$20.0K KWD 6,142

$18.0K COP 58.7M

10.81%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,051

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-26.08%

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

$56.3 KWD 17.29

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-30.39%

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

$18.42 KWD 5.66

$9.95 COP 32.4K

85.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.41 KWD 7.81

$24.18 COP 78.7K

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 KWD 33.12

$25.08 COP 81.7K

329.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.54 KWD 10.00

$19.15 COP 62.3K

69.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 KWD 3.45

$3.98 COP 13.0K

181.66%

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

$402 KWD 124

$305 COP 993.5K

31.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,536 KWD 1,702

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-8.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.38 KWD 13.03

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-27.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.94 KWD 13.20

$32.20 COP 104.8K

33.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 KWD 26.67

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 KWD 25.36

$108 COP 350.8K

-23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 KWD 267

$477 COP 1.6M

82.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 KWD 205

$376 COP 1.2M

77.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,643 KWD 812

$845 COP 2.7M

212.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 KWD 406

$730 COP 2.4M

80.90%

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)

$1,931 KWD 594

$617 COP 2.0M

213.08%

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 Salmiya: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $868 in Salmiya 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 213% higher in Salmiya, 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 Salmiya versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Salmiya vs $193 in Medellin – so Salmiya 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

Salmiya vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salmiya 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 $2,124 per month in Salmiya 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 Salmiya 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 $1,416 in Salmiya 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 Salmiya at $1,416. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salmiya 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, Salmiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.