Cost of Living Comparison Between Umluj and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Umluj and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,203 per month in Umluj vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Umluj vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Umluj vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Umluj costs about 20% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Umluj and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Umluj 10% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 SAR 24.67

$5.91 COP 18.6K

11.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.50 SAR 167

$32.96 COP 103.8K

35.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.83

$7.43 COP 23.4K

6.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.03

$1.65 COP 5,207

126.67%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.10 COP 3,468

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.78 COP 2,458

-62.82%

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)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.10 COP 3,474

55.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.26 COP 3,962

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.56

$1.38 COP 4,349

65.22%

Eggs

$2.44 SAR 9.16

$2.18 COP 6,858

11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 SAR 25.67

$4.49 COP 14.1K

52.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 SAR 28.65

$5.79 COP 18.2K

31.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.37

$8.97 COP 28.2K

43.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.46

$2.32 COP 7,308

-3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.06 COP 3,352

55.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.52 COP 4,774

13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.36 COP 4,270

13.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.69

$1.13 COP 3,552

10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.17 COP 3,689

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.49

$0.90 COP 2,838

32.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.90 COP 2,823

-37.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 SAR 26.51

$2.23 COP 7,034

216.59%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.85 COP 2,687

27.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.31 SAR 151

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.11

$1.42 COP 4,459

89.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.95 COP 6,141

-3.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.34 SAR 50.1

$7.89 COP 24.8K

69.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.99 COP 3,118

-34.34%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

50.43%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-18.12%

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

$107 SAR 402

$83.0 COP 261.4K

28.83%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$9.70 COP 30.5K

251.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 SAR 269

$23.52 COP 74.1K

204.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$25.26 COP 79.5K

244.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.17 SAR 136

$19.10 COP 60.1K

89.37%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$3.95 COP 12.4K

293.92%

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

$353 SAR 1,324

$316 COP 994.2K

11.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,914 SAR 26.0K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

15.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 SAR 225

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 SAR 224

$31.82 COP 100.2K

87.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$102 COP 320.1K

-21.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 SAR 308

$107 COP 338.3K

-23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,644

$475 COP 1.5M

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$374 COP 1.2M

1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,139

$849 COP 2.7M

-1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SAR 2,331

$719 COP 2.3M

-13.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 SAR 8,983

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-26.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,226 SAR 4,605

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-14.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 SAR 15.9K

$624 COP 2.0M

578.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

13.43

-67.09%

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

Last update for Umluj: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Umluj 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 579% higher in Umluj, 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 $44.00 in Umluj versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $193 – making Medellin 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

Umluj vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Umluj is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,805 per month in Umluj 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 $44.00 in Umluj 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 $1,203 in Umluj 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 Umluj at $1,203. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Umluj 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, Umluj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.