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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,381 per month in Shuwaikh vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Shuwaikh vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Shuwaikh vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Shuwaikh costs about 38% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Shuwaikh sits 4% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.79 KWD 3.01

$5.91 COP 18.6K

65.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 KWD 25.51

$32.96 COP 103.8K

151.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 KWD 2.72

$7.43 COP 23.4K

18.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$5.98 KWD 1.84

$1.65 COP 5,207

262.42%

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

$0.69 KWD 0.21

$1.10 COP 3,468

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.78 COP 2,458

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.10 COP 3,474

49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.26 COP 3,962

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.55

$1.38 COP 4,349

30.43%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$2.18 COP 6,858

-5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.25 KWD 1.61

$4.49 COP 14.1K

16.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 KWD 1.97

$5.79 COP 18.2K

10.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 KWD 3.24

$8.97 COP 28.2K

17.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

$2.32 COP 7,308

4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.06 COP 3,352

84.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.55

$1.52 COP 4,774

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 KWD 0.46

$1.36 COP 4,270

11.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.13 COP 3,552

12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.17 COP 3,689

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$0.90 COP 2,838

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.90 COP 2,823

-50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 KWD 0.91

$2.23 COP 7,034

32.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$0.85 COP 2,687

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.63 KWD 13.73

$41.62 COP 131.0K

7.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

$1.42 COP 4,459

126.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$1.95 COP 6,141

70.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.28 KWD 5.01

$7.89 COP 24.8K

106.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.99 COP 3,118

-65.66%

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

$21.4K KWD 6,590

$17.6K COP 55.4M

21.71%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,045

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-26.66%

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

$61.4 KWD 18.87

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-26.09%

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

$18.42 KWD 5.67

$9.70 COP 30.5K

89.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.23 KWD 8.07

$23.52 COP 74.1K

11.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.3 KWD 28.70

$25.26 COP 79.5K

269.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.87 KWD 14.42

$19.10 COP 60.1K

145.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.60 KWD 3.57

$3.95 COP 12.4K

193.67%

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

$402 KWD 124

$316 COP 994.2K

27.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,647 KWD 2,044

$5,975 COP 18.8M

11.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.47 KWD 12.76

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-30.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.21 KWD 12.98

$31.82 COP 100.2K

32.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 KWD 26.65

$102 COP 320.1K

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 KWD 25.55

$107 COP 338.3K

-22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 KWD 241

$475 COP 1.5M

65.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 KWD 187

$374 COP 1.2M

62.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 KWD 482

$849 COP 2.7M

84.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 KWD 402

$719 COP 2.3M

81.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,203 KWD 1,293

$624 COP 2.0M

573.06%

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 Shuwaikh: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $785 in Shuwaikh versus $475 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 573% higher in Shuwaikh, 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 $83.0 in Shuwaikh versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Shuwaikh vs $193 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 – Shuwaikh is pricier by about 38%, 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 $2,071 per month in Shuwaikh and $1,504 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 $83.0 in Shuwaikh 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 $1,381 in Shuwaikh and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Shuwaikh at $1,381. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shuwaikh 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, Shuwaikh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.