Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Jadida Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Jadida

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $651 in El Jadida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $987 in El Jadida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,322 in El Jadida.

Living in Medellin is roughly 54% more expensive than in El Jadida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, El Jadida 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$3.86 MAD 36.24

53.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$19.63 MAD 184

67.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.52 MAD 61.2

13.96%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.52 MAD 14.29

8.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.44 MAD 4.13

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.34 MAD 3.22

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.74 MAD 25.70

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.37 MAD 31.66

-5.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.84 MAD 7.85

30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.46 MAD 4.33

173.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.82 MAD 17.11

-24.18%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.76 MAD 16.49

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$5.03 MAD 47.21

-10.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.80 MAD 35.63

52.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.05 MAD 75.5

11.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.50 MAD 14.09

54.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.33 MAD 12.52

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.71 MAD 6.66

114.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.78 MAD 7.36

74.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.74 MAD 6.90

52.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.54 MAD 5.09

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.33 MAD 3.13

172.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.60 MAD 5.59

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$4.03 MAD 37.83

-44.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$4.17 MAD 39.14

190.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$2.45 MAD 22.98

-51.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.87 MAD 26.90

-13.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.51 MAD 4.78

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$26.48 MAD 248

57.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.12 MAD 10.55

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.48 MAD 4.46

306.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$3.22 MAD 30.18

145.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.53 MAD 14.31

-35.29%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$32.2K MAD 302.6K

-45.41%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$29.2K MAD 273.7K

-8.13%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$32.73 MAD 307

153.62%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$10.92 MAD 102

-11.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$33.17 MAD 311

-29.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$27.84 MAD 261

-9.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$17.97 MAD 169

6.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.76 MAD 63.5

-41.57%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$87.4 MAD 820

261.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$2,616 MAD 24.6K

128.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$40.75 MAD 382

47.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$40.07 MAD 376

-20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$67.7 MAD 635

50.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$61.2 MAD 574

75.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$231 MAD 2,170

105.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$178 MAD 1,674

109.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$383 MAD 3,597

121.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$241 MAD 2,262

198.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,590 MAD 14.9K

105.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$830 MAD 7,789

73.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$472 MAD 4,427

32.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

168.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $231 in El Jadida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in El Jadida for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $146 per month, with El Jadida cheaper across the board.

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

Medellin vs El Jadida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Jadida wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Jadida the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $231 in El Jadida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in El Jadida – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $651 in El Jadida versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in El Jadida but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Jadida the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but El Jadida delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $651 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes El Jadida hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and El Jadida are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find El Jadida gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.