Cost of Living Comparison Between Taif and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Taif and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $922 per month in Taif vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Taif vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,011 per month in Taif vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Taif is about 9% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Taif and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Taif 31% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 SAR 19.69

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-12.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.17 SAR 151

$32.86 COP 117.4K

22.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-5.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cappuccino

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$1.71 COP 6,115

70.76%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.70

$1.10 COP 3,924

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.78 COP 2,781

-66.67%

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)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.09 COP 3,906

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$1.26 COP 4,508

-79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.38 COP 4,922

71.01%

Eggs

$2.56 SAR 9.61

$2.19 COP 7,827

16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.70

$4.40 COP 15.7K

67.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.49

$5.63 COP 20.1K

6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 SAR 40.25

$8.89 COP 31.8K

20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$2.34 COP 8,349

-2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.06 COP 3,777

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.50 COP 5,374

34.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$1.38 COP 4,924

39.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.15 COP 4,111

26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.16 COP 4,155

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.89 COP 3,182

-4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$0.84 COP 2,997

15.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$2.28 COP 8,145

187.28%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.86 COP 3,056

25.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.19 SAR 151

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-2.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$1.47 COP 5,264

85.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.96 COP 7,009

4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 SAR 49.45

$7.74 COP 27.6K

70.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.95 COP 3,409

-36.84%

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

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

8.77%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-24.54%

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

$73.2 SAR 275

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-10.99%

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

$28.41 SAR 107

$9.50 COP 33.9K

199.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.5 SAR 332

$24.23 COP 86.5K

265.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 SAR 285

$25.89 COP 92.4K

193.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.04 SAR 139

$19.00 COP 67.9K

94.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.58 SAR 66.0

$3.93 COP 14.0K

347.33%

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

$264 SAR 991

$309 COP 1.1M

-14.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-7.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.85 SAR 146

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-33.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 SAR 158

$32.35 COP 115.5K

30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$103 COP 366.4K

-22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.88 SAR 176

$108 COP 387.2K

-56.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 SAR 804

$476 COP 1.7M

-55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 SAR 649

$379 COP 1.4M

-54.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,626

$838 COP 3.0M

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,309

$724 COP 2.6M

-51.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,130 SAR 7,993

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-23.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 SAR 4,685

$1,211 COP 4.3M

3.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,031 SAR 7,622

$512 COP 1.8M

296.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

13.43

-65.75%

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

Last update for Taif: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $214 in Taif 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 297% higher in Taif, 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 $40.00 in Taif versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Taif vs $188 in Medellin – so Taif 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

Taif vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,383 per month in Taif 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 Taif, 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 $40.00 in Taif 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 $922 in Taif and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taif, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Taif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taif – 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 Taif. 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.