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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,426 per month in Salmiya vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,291 per month in Salmiya vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,156 per month in Salmiya vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Salmiya costs about 41% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Salmiya sits 6% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.72 KWD 2.68

$5.99 COP 21.4K

45.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.94 KWD 15.32

$32.86 COP 117.4K

51.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 KWD 2.34

$7.09 COP 25.3K

7.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$4.92 KWD 1.51

$1.71 COP 6,115

187.72%

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

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$1.10 COP 3,924

-59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$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)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.09 COP 3,906

43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$1.26 COP 4,508

-30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.38 COP 4,922

24.64%

Eggs

$1.89 KWD 0.58

$2.19 COP 7,827

-13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 KWD 1.59

$4.40 COP 15.7K

17.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 KWD 1.95

$5.63 COP 20.1K

12.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 KWD 2.77

$8.89 COP 31.8K

1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 KWD 0.69

$2.34 COP 8,349

-3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$1.06 COP 3,777

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.55

$1.50 COP 5,374

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 KWD 0.45

$1.38 COP 4,924

5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.15 COP 4,111

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.40

$1.16 COP 4,155

13.79%

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%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KWD 0.92

$2.28 COP 8,145

31.58%

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)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

$0.86 COP 3,056

20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.89 KWD 15.30

$41.40 COP 147.9K

20.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 KWD 0.99

$1.47 COP 5,264

120.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$1.96 COP 7,009

64.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.97 KWD 3.98

$7.74 COP 27.6K

67.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.95 COP 3,409

-65.26%

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

$19.3K KWD 5,921

$18.1K COP 64.7M

6.47%

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

$19.8K KWD 6,078

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-25.18%

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

$54.8 KWD 16.81

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-33.36%

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

$18.77 KWD 5.76

$9.50 COP 33.9K

97.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.43 KWD 7.80

$24.23 COP 86.5K

4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 KWD 33.07

$25.89 COP 92.4K

316.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.02 KWD 10.13

$19.00 COP 67.9K

73.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 KWD 3.53

$3.93 COP 14.0K

192.62%

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

$397 KWD 122

$309 COP 1.1M

28.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,493 KWD 1,685

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-7.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.72 KWD 13.10

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-27.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 KWD 12.97

$32.35 COP 115.5K

30.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 KWD 26.67

$103 COP 366.4K

-15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 KWD 25.38

$108 COP 387.2K

-23.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 KWD 270

$476 COP 1.7M

84.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 KWD 205

$379 COP 1.4M

76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 KWD 833

$838 COP 3.0M

224.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 KWD 411

$724 COP 2.6M

85.05%

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)

$1,428 KWD 438

$512 COP 1.8M

179.09%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $879 in Salmiya 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 179% 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 $50.0 in Salmiya versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Salmiya vs $188 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 41%, 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 $2,139 per month in Salmiya 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 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 $1,426 in Salmiya 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 Salmiya at $1,426. 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.