Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharjah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,865 per month in Sharjah vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Sharjah vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,406 per month in Sharjah vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Sharjah costs about 11% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sharjah and Medellin sit above the global median – Sharjah by 36%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.05 AED 22.22

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-23.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.05 AED 118

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-28.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 AED 30.10

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-11.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.72 AED 35.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.50 AED 34.90

Cappuccino

$3.41 AED 12.52

$2.90 COP 8,874

17.59%

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

$0.87 AED 3.20

$1.81 COP 5,541

-51.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 AED 1.05

$1.55 COP 4,741

-81.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 AED 5.71

$1.38 COP 4,230

12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 AED 4.24

$2.45 COP 7,517

-53.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 AED 6.81

$1.51 COP 4,617

22.52%

Eggs

$2.83 AED 10.39

$2.78 COP 8,516

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 AED 33.52

$9.05 COP 27.7K

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 AED 25.43

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-35.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 AED 42.43

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-21.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 AED 7.91

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-45.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 AED 6.02

$1.38 COP 4,219

18.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$2.30 COP 7,056

-34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 AED 4.84

$2.02 COP 6,185

-34.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 AED 4.03

$2.09 COP 6,390

-47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 AED 4.18

$1.63 COP 4,996

-30.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 AED 5.69

$1.08 COP 3,313

43.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 AED 2.13

$1.25 COP 3,843

-53.60%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.78 AED 58.0

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 AED 9.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 AED 24.05

$4.03 COP 12.4K

62.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 AED 8.06

$1.18 COP 3,611

86.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 AED 152

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-48.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 AED 13.31

$1.61 COP 4,920

125.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 AED 2.19

$2.13 COP 6,533

-71.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.74 AED 43.13

$8.52 COP 26.1K

37.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 AED 3.29

$1.35 COP 4,142

-33.33%

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

$45.6K AED 167.6K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

61.13%

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

$21.9K AED 80.3K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-38.77%

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

$225 AED 827

$151 COP 463.8K

48.71%

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

$49.27 AED 181

$13.10 COP 40.1K

276.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.8 AED 348

$32.30 COP 99.0K

193.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 AED 201

$46.33 COP 141.9K

18.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.35 AED 82.1

$17.26 COP 52.9K

29.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.60 AED 49.94

$6.43 COP 19.7K

111.51%

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

$308 AED 1,130

$835 COP 2.6M

-63.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,375 AED 30.8K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-5.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 AED 216

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-34.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.3 AED 280

$55.3 COP 169.5K

37.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 AED 403

$137 COP 418.5K

-19.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 AED 343

$109 COP 335.1K

-14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 AED 2,795

$952 COP 2.9M

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 AED 3,155

$668 COP 2.0M

28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 AED 6,436

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 AED 5,378

$1,148 COP 3.5M

27.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,048 AED 29.6K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

117.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,705 AED 9,933

$1,586 COP 4.9M

70.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,191 AED 8,045

$625 COP 1.9M

250.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

10.43

-56.86%

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

Last update for Sharjah: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $761 in Sharjah versus $952 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 250% higher in Sharjah, 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 $32.00 in Sharjah versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $297 – making Sharjah 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

Sharjah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sharjah is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,798 per month in Sharjah and $2,530 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 $32.00 in Sharjah and $45.00 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 $1,865 in Sharjah and $1,687 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Sharjah at $1,865. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sharjah 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, Sharjah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.