Cost of Living Comparison Between Shaab and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shaab and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Shaab vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Shaab vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,263 per month in Shaab vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Shaab costs about 36% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.09 KWD 3.09

$5.99 COP 21.4K

68.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 KWD 24.97

$32.86 COP 117.4K

147.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 KWD 2.69

$7.09 COP 25.3K

23.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$5.86 KWD 1.80

$1.71 COP 6,115

242.69%

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

$0.68 KWD 0.21

$1.10 COP 3,924

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KWD 0.12

$0.78 COP 2,781

-51.28%

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)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.09 COP 3,906

47.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.26 COP 4,508

-1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.38 COP 4,922

25.36%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.19 COP 7,827

-4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 KWD 1.58

$4.40 COP 15.7K

17.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KWD 2.02

$5.63 COP 20.1K

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 KWD 3.14

$8.89 COP 31.8K

15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

$2.34 COP 8,349

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$1.06 COP 3,777

77.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.50 COP 5,374

19.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.38 COP 4,924

8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.15 COP 4,111

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.16 COP 4,155

8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$0.89 COP 3,182

80.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.84 COP 2,997

-46.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 KWD 0.92

$2.28 COP 8,145

31.14%

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 0.27

$0.86 COP 3,056

4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.00 KWD 13.80

$41.40 COP 147.9K

8.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$1.47 COP 5,264

124.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$1.96 COP 7,009

66.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.30 KWD 5.00

$7.74 COP 27.6K

110.59%

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)

$21.3K KWD 6,525

$18.1K COP 64.7M

17.33%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,114

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-24.73%

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

$62.6 KWD 19.20

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-23.89%

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

$18.95 KWD 5.81

$9.50 COP 33.9K

99.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 KWD 7.94

$24.23 COP 86.5K

6.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.5 KWD 28.97

$25.89 COP 92.4K

264.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.50 KWD 13.95

$19.00 COP 67.9K

139.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.53

$3.93 COP 14.0K

193.13%

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

$407 KWD 125

$309 COP 1.1M

31.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,485 KWD 1,989

$5,965 COP 21.3M

8.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.61 KWD 13.07

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-27.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 KWD 12.97

$32.35 COP 115.5K

30.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 KWD 26.41

$103 COP 366.4K

-16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 KWD 24.86

$108 COP 387.2K

-25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 KWD 239

$476 COP 1.7M

63.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 KWD 185

$379 COP 1.4M

59.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 KWD 474

$838 COP 3.0M

84.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 KWD 389

$724 COP 2.6M

75.29%

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)

$3,219 KWD 987

$512 COP 1.8M

528.91%

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 Shaab: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $779 in Shaab 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 529% higher in Shaab, 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 $81.0 in Shaab versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Shaab vs $188 in Medellin – so Shaab 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

Shaab vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shaab is pricier by about 36%, 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 $2,067 per month in Shaab 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 $81.0 in Shaab 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 $1,378 in Shaab 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 Shaab at $1,378. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shaab 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, Shaab makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.