Cost of Living Comparison Between Shuwaikh and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shuwaikh and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,334 per month in Shuwaikh vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,275 per month in Shuwaikh vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,216 per month in Shuwaikh vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Shuwaikh is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Shuwaikh sits 2% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 KWD 3.43

$8.02 COP 25.4K

39.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 KWD 20.11

$47.87 COP 152.0K

36.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 KWD 2.72

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-10.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 KWD 1.48

Cappuccino

$5.14 KWD 1.58

$3.13 COP 9,937

64.22%

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

$0.76 KWD 0.23

$1.91 COP 6,058

-60.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 KWD 0.10

$1.51 COP 4,794

-79.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.44 COP 4,587

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 KWD 0.47

$2.49 COP 7,894

-38.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 KWD 0.59

$1.77 COP 5,631

7.91%

Eggs

$2.17 KWD 0.67

$2.96 COP 9,396

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.45 KWD 1.37

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-55.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 KWD 2.09

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-32.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 KWD 3.21

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-26.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 KWD 0.57

$1.61 COP 5,106

14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$2.25 COP 7,129

-20.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$2.25 COP 7,150

-31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

$2.04 COP 6,486

-31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.54 COP 4,873

-3.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 KWD 0.70

$1.17 COP 3,715

95.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 KWD 0.17

$1.31 COP 4,148

-58.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 KWD 0.84

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-29.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$1.22 COP 3,858

-31.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 KWD 1.45

$1.31 COP 4,155

261.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$2.19 COP 6,944

50.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.04 KWD 4.93

$8.71 COP 27.7K

84.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.37 COP 4,334

-73.72%

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

$21.2K KWD 6,516

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-23.83%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,217

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-43.45%

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

$65.4 KWD 20.08

$177 COP 562.9K

-63.14%

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

$22.39 KWD 6.88

$13.88 COP 44.1K

61.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.50 KWD 9.07

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$100 KWD 30.84

$44.88 COP 142.5K

123.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 KWD 3.54

$6.65 COP 21.1K

73.38%

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

$298 KWD 91.6

$813 COP 2.6M

-63.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,347 KWD 2,872

$9,187 COP 29.2M

1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.70 KWD 11.58

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-57.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.97 KWD 12.28

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 KWD 30.37

$138 COP 438.8K

-28.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 KWD 27.19

$102 COP 324.2K

-13.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 KWD 201

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-38.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 KWD 174

$663 COP 2.1M

-14.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 KWD 610

$1,888 COP 6.0M

5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 KWD 474

$1,027 COP 3.3M

50.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,145 KWD 1,274

$678 COP 2.2M

511.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

10.94

-40.31%

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

Last update for Shuwaikh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $655 in Shuwaikh versus $1,062 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 512% higher in Shuwaikh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Shuwaikh versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Shuwaikh vs $305 in Medellin – so Shuwaikh 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

Shuwaikh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $2,002 per month in Shuwaikh and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shuwaikh, 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 $65.0 in Shuwaikh and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shuwaikh, where all-in costs run around $1,334, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Shuwaikh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shuwaikh – 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 Shuwaikh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.