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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,136 per month in Taif vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Taif vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,067 per month in Taif vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Taif is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Taif sits 17% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 SAR 17.14

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-43.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.49 SAR 137

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-24.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 SAR 25.72

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-29.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.91 COP 9,149

2.41%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$1.94 COP 6,110

-67.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$1.52 COP 4,783

-84.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.36 COP 4,287

9.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$2.39 COP 7,505

-89.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$1.70 COP 5,346

34.12%

Eggs

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.87 COP 9,021

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 SAR 26.97

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-27.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 SAR 23.84

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-41.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 SAR 40.01

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-27.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-44.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.57 COP 4,940

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$2.13 COP 6,682

-17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$2.21 COP 6,959

-18.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.52

$2.05 COP 6,435

-28.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.50 COP 4,728

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 SAR 3.04

$1.19 COP 3,740

-31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 SAR 3.55

$1.16 COP 3,640

-18.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.39

$3.90 COP 12.2K

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.04

$1.17 COP 3,672

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.44 SAR 137

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-53.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.28 COP 4,038

2.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.09 COP 6,576

30.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$8.62 COP 27.1K

56.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$1.30 COP 4,080

-54.62%

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

$45.4K SAR 170.3K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

63.98%

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

$18.8K SAR 70.4K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-47.17%

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

$110 SAR 413

$176 COP 553.4K

-37.49%

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

$27.31 SAR 103

$13.37 COP 42.0K

104.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 SAR 328

$29.89 COP 94.0K

192.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 SAR 444

$44.76 COP 140.7K

164.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.41 SAR 114

$17.06 COP 53.6K

78.25%

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 SAR 64.9

$6.20 COP 19.5K

178.87%

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

$239 SAR 896

$793 COP 2.5M

-69.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,380 SAR 16.4K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-51.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.72 SAR 77.8

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-75.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$58.5 COP 183.8K

1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 SAR 365

$136 COP 428.4K

-28.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.27 SAR 174

$103 COP 324.1K

-55.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 SAR 4,525

$1,060 COP 3.3M

13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$680 COP 2.1M

-49.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 SAR 3,268

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-56.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 SAR 1,222

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-72.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,389 SAR 8,970

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-41.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,368 SAR 5,135

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-19.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,768 SAR 6,638

$665 COP 2.1M

165.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

10.94

-67.09%

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

Last update for Taif: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,205 in Taif versus $1,060 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 166% 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 $36.00 in Taif versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $303 – making Taif 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

Taif vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, 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 $1,705 per month in Taif and $2,574 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 $36.00 in Taif and $48.00 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 $1,136 in Taif and $1,716 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 $1,136, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.