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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,168 per month in Umluj vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Umluj vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,336 per month in Umluj vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Umluj is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Umluj sits 15% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 SAR 25.22

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-16.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.73 SAR 138

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-23.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.30

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-18.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.87

Cappuccino

$3.48 SAR 13.06

$3.13 COP 9,937

11.18%

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

$0.90 SAR 3.38

$1.91 COP 6,058

-52.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$1.51 COP 4,794

-82.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.44 COP 4,587

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 SAR 4.34

$2.49 COP 7,894

-53.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$1.77 COP 5,631

22.03%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.96 COP 9,396

-19.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 SAR 27.58

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-27.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 SAR 30.01

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 SAR 48.77

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-9.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-49.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.61 COP 5,106

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.25 COP 7,129

-30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$2.25 COP 7,150

-27.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$2.04 COP 6,486

-44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.54 COP 4,873

-15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.17 COP 3,715

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.06

$1.31 COP 4,148

-58.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.30

$3.90 COP 12.4K

65.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$1.22 COP 3,858

-13.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.76 SAR 134

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-55.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SAR 11.14

$1.31 COP 4,155

125.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$2.19 COP 6,944

-16.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.29 SAR 49.91

$8.71 COP 27.7K

52.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.37 COP 4,334

-52.55%

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

$45.8K SAR 172.1K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

64.60%

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

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-39.37%

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

$98.6 SAR 371

$177 COP 562.9K

-44.37%

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

$32.02 SAR 120

$13.88 COP 44.1K

130.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 SAR 256

$29.72 COP 94.4K

129.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.1 SAR 316

$44.88 COP 142.5K

87.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.21 SAR 140

$17.12 COP 54.4K

117.35%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 SAR 49.10

$6.65 COP 21.1K

96.54%

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

$341 SAR 1,279

$813 COP 2.6M

-58.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,614 SAR 24.8K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-28.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 SAR 187

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-44.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 SAR 219

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 SAR 364

$138 COP 438.8K

-29.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 SAR 330

$102 COP 324.2K

-13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 SAR 2,210

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-44.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,311

$663 COP 2.1M

-47.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 SAR 3,315

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-53.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,078

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-46.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 SAR 8,982

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-42.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 SAR 5,240

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-16.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 SAR 15.8K

$678 COP 2.2M

520.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

10.94

-50.00%

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

Last update for Umluj: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $588 in Umluj versus $1,062 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 520% higher in Umluj, 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 $37.00 in Umluj versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $305 – making Umluj 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,752 per month in Umluj and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Umluj, 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 $37.00 in Umluj 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 $1,168 in Umluj and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umluj, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Umluj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umluj – 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 Umluj. 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.