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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Umluj vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,857 per month in Umluj vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,477 per month in Umluj vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Umluj costs about 22% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Umluj and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Umluj 8% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 SAR 24.25

$5.95 COP 20.8K

8.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 SAR 164

$33.33 COP 116.3K

31.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 SAR 30.41

$7.23 COP 25.2K

12.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Cappuccino

$3.73 SAR 13.99

$1.63 COP 5,687

128.83%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.80

$1.09 COP 3,821

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.09

$0.73 COP 2,548

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.05 COP 3,662

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.29 COP 4,515

-21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$1.32 COP 4,617

81.06%

Eggs

$2.41 SAR 9.04

$2.27 COP 7,927

6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.97 SAR 26.16

$4.35 COP 15.2K

60.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 SAR 28.68

$5.88 COP 20.5K

29.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.61

$8.61 COP 30.0K

50.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$2.25 COP 7,844

-2.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.07 COP 3,733

47.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$1.52 COP 5,322

15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.42 COP 4,964

10.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.17 COP 4,084

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.17 COP 4,077

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$0.89 COP 3,096

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.90 COP 3,146

-38.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.04 SAR 11.42

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.97 SAR 26.17

$2.25 COP 7,837

209.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.84 COP 2,916

23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.18 SAR 151

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-4.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.04

$1.41 COP 4,912

89.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.90 COP 6,634

-4.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$7.75 COP 27.0K

72.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.01 COP 3,509

-41.58%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

49.87%

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

$22.8K SAR 85.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-14.11%

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

$105 SAR 394

$83.7 COP 292.1K

25.42%

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

$33.65 SAR 126

$9.45 COP 33.0K

256.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 SAR 275

$24.11 COP 84.1K

203.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$25.31 COP 88.3K

244.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 SAR 134

$19.14 COP 66.8K

86.42%

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 SAR 57.9

$4.10 COP 14.3K

276.10%

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

$353 SAR 1,324

$312 COP 1.1M

13.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,979 SAR 26.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

16.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 SAR 226

$58.0 COP 202.6K

3.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SAR 226

$32.56 COP 113.6K

85.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 SAR 297

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-20.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$109 COP 378.8K

-24.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 SAR 1,635

$482 COP 1.7M

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,412

$379 COP 1.3M

-0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 SAR 3,258

$837 COP 2.9M

3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 SAR 2,319

$723 COP 2.5M

-14.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,334 SAR 8,758

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-17.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 SAR 4,476

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-2.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,301 SAR 16.1K

$541 COP 1.9M

695.27%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Umluj versus $482 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 695% 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: $197 vs $190 – 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 22%, 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 $1,854 per month in Umluj and $1,525 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 $1,236 in Umluj and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Umluj at $1,236. 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.