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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Yanbu vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,512 per month in Yanbu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,023 per month in Yanbu vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Yanbu is about 2% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Yanbu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Yanbu 26% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.73

$5.95 COP 20.8K

10.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.96 SAR 142

$33.33 COP 116.3K

13.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 SAR 24.34

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-10.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.05

$1.63 COP 5,687

129.45%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$1.09 COP 3,821

-35.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.73 COP 2,548

-68.49%

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)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.05 COP 3,662

63.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.28

$1.29 COP 4,515

-32.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.24

$1.32 COP 4,617

66.67%

Eggs

$2.64 SAR 9.90

$2.27 COP 7,927

16.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 SAR 21.96

$4.35 COP 15.2K

34.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$5.88 COP 20.5K

34.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.20 SAR 45.78

$8.61 COP 30.0K

41.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$2.25 COP 7,844

-4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.07 COP 3,733

45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.46

$1.52 COP 5,322

-3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.42 COP 4,964

8.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.71

$1.17 COP 4,084

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 SAR 3.62

$1.17 COP 4,077

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.89 COP 3,096

23.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.90 COP 3,146

-38.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 SAR 23.41

$2.25 COP 7,837

177.33%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.84 COP 2,916

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.86 SAR 127

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-19.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.23

$1.41 COP 4,912

131.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$1.90 COP 6,634

-58.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 SAR 57.6

$7.75 COP 27.0K

98.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 SAR 2.14

$1.01 COP 3,509

-43.56%

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

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

47.36%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-17.50%

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

$106 SAR 398

$83.7 COP 292.1K

26.70%

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

$22.79 SAR 85.5

$9.45 COP 33.0K

141.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 SAR 258

$24.11 COP 84.1K

184.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.5 SAR 366

$25.31 COP 88.3K

285.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.04 SAR 132

$19.14 COP 66.8K

83.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.23

$4.10 COP 14.3K

220.00%

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

$315 SAR 1,181

$312 COP 1.1M

0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-37.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.07 SAR 86.6

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-60.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.91 SAR 78.5

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-35.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 SAR 249

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-33.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.58 SAR 182

$109 COP 378.8K

-55.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 SAR 1,185

$482 COP 1.7M

-34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 SAR 914

$379 COP 1.3M

-35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 SAR 2,274

$837 COP 2.9M

-27.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 SAR 1,539

$723 COP 2.5M

-43.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

$541 COP 1.9M

553.03%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Yanbu 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 553% 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 $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 2%, 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 $1,500 per month in Yanbu 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 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 $1,000 in Yanbu and $1,017 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 $1,000, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.