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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Yanbu vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,533 per month in Yanbu vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,081 per month in Yanbu vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Yanbu is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Yanbu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Yanbu 26% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.25

$5.92 COP 21.4K

13.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.95 SAR 142

$32.75 COP 118.2K

15.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 SAR 24.70

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-8.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

Cappuccino

$3.68 SAR 13.78

$1.70 COP 6,140

116.47%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.84

$1.10 COP 3,966

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.72 COP 2,605

-68.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.06 COP 3,809

62.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.25 COP 4,497

-26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$1.39 COP 5,022

61.15%

Eggs

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$2.26 COP 8,168

19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 SAR 22.03

$4.33 COP 15.6K

35.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 SAR 28.62

$5.84 COP 21.1K

30.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 SAR 44.75

$8.83 COP 31.9K

35.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.24 COP 8,099

-3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.08 COP 3,882

52.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.42

$1.53 COP 5,522

-5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.72

$1.37 COP 4,950

11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.71

$1.13 COP 4,078

11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.12 COP 4,036

-9.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.99

$0.85 COP 3,057

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.91 COP 3,281

-43.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 SAR 23.48

$2.33 COP 8,414

168.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.79 COP 2,838

32.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.80 SAR 123

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-20.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SAR 11.82

$1.44 COP 5,184

118.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.91 COP 6,901

-56.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.32 SAR 57.4

$8.02 COP 28.9K

91.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.32

$0.94 COP 3,385

-34.04%

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

$25.6K SAR 96.1K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

43.00%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-19.77%

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

$108 SAR 403

$84.0 COP 303.1K

28.11%

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

$22.12 SAR 82.9

$9.60 COP 34.7K

130.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$24.16 COP 87.2K

191.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.9 SAR 364

$25.88 COP 93.4K

274.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$19.04 COP 68.7K

85.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 SAR 49.25

$3.92 COP 14.1K

234.95%

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

$322 SAR 1,209

$306 COP 1.1M

5.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,842 SAR 14.4K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-35.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.59 SAR 84.7

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-60.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.69 SAR 81.4

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-31.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 SAR 250

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-33.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.14 SAR 177

$107 COP 386.8K

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 SAR 1,153

$487 COP 1.8M

-36.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 SAR 907

$368 COP 1.3M

-34.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 SAR 2,277

$826 COP 3.0M

-26.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,517

$716 COP 2.6M

-43.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 SAR 13.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

534.07%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Yanbu versus $487 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 534% 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 – $188 in Yanbu vs $190 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 5%, 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 $1,478 per month in Yanbu and $1,550 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 $986 in Yanbu and $1,034 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 $986, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.