Cost of Living Comparison Between Yanbu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Yanbu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $994 per month in Yanbu vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,525 per month in Yanbu vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,056 per month in Yanbu vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Yanbu is about 1% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$5.91 COP 18.6K

10.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.99 SAR 143

$32.96 COP 103.8K

15.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-12.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cappuccino

$3.59 SAR 13.49

$1.65 COP 5,207

117.58%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$1.10 COP 3,468

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.78 COP 2,458

-70.51%

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)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.10 COP 3,474

51.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.28

$1.26 COP 3,962

-30.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$1.38 COP 4,349

62.32%

Eggs

$2.72 SAR 10.20

$2.18 COP 6,858

24.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 SAR 22.68

$4.49 COP 14.1K

34.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$5.79 COP 18.2K

34.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 SAR 45.86

$8.97 COP 28.2K

36.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.32 COP 7,308

-10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.06 COP 3,352

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.52 COP 4,774

-9.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.36 COP 4,270

13.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.13 COP 3,552

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.17 COP 3,689

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$0.90 COP 2,838

21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.90 COP 2,823

-37.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.30

$2.23 COP 7,034

190.13%

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)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.85 COP 2,687

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.24 SAR 125

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-20.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.31

$1.42 COP 4,459

130.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.94

$1.95 COP 6,141

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 SAR 56.7

$7.89 COP 24.8K

91.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.31

$0.99 COP 3,118

-37.37%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

48.71%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-19.48%

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

$105 SAR 396

$83.0 COP 261.4K

27.06%

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

$22.77 SAR 85.5

$9.70 COP 30.5K

134.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 259

$23.52 COP 74.1K

193.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.9 SAR 360

$25.26 COP 79.5K

279.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.52 SAR 133

$19.10 COP 60.1K

85.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.30 SAR 49.95

$3.95 COP 12.4K

236.71%

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

$323 SAR 1,214

$316 COP 994.2K

2.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,791 SAR 14.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-36.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.81 SAR 85.6

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-61.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 SAR 78.9

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-34.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 SAR 249

$102 COP 320.1K

-34.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.66 SAR 179

$107 COP 338.3K

-55.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 SAR 1,177

$475 COP 1.5M

-33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 SAR 915

$374 COP 1.2M

-34.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 SAR 2,198

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,546

$719 COP 2.3M

-42.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 SAR 13.1K

$624 COP 2.0M

458.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

13.43

-75.43%

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

Last update for Yanbu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $314 in Yanbu 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 458% higher in Yanbu, 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 $38.00 in Yanbu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Yanbu vs $193 in Medellin – so Yanbu 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

Yanbu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,490 per month in Yanbu 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 Yanbu, 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 $38.00 in Yanbu 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 $994 in Yanbu and $1,003 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 Yanbu, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Yanbu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yanbu – 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 Yanbu. 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.