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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $648 in El Jadida.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $992 in El Jadida.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,336 in El Jadida.

Living in Medellin is roughly 57% more expensive than El Jadida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, El Jadida 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.80 MAD 35.13

56.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$19.94 MAD 184

67.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.74 MAD 62.4

7.27%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.57 MAD 14.54

3.82%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.44 MAD 4.04

147.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.34 MAD 3.15

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.77 MAD 25.59

-37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.27 MAD 30.22

-1.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.89 MAD 8.27

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.43 MAD 4.02

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.85 MAD 17.08

-28.65%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.78 MAD 16.50

27.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.88 MAD 45.13

-10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.95 MAD 36.51

48.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.78 MAD 72.0

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.51 MAD 13.97

49.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.27 MAD 11.72

-15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.71 MAD 6.60

114.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.86 MAD 7.93

65.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.78 MAD 7.23

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.50 MAD 4.62

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.31 MAD 2.83

187.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.59 MAD 5.48

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.01 MAD 37.06

-43.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.23 MAD 39.14

160.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.46 MAD 22.74

-53.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.98 MAD 27.55

-20.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.47 MAD 4.32

78.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$25.62 MAD 237

63.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.08 MAD 10.02

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.52 MAD 4.81

265.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.37 MAD 31.17

129.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.59 MAD 14.70

-36.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.3K MAD 299.3K

-45.66%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.9K MAD 277.0K

-11.51%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$32.82 MAD 304

154.97%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.79 MAD 99.8

-12.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$33.94 MAD 314

-28.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$27.17 MAD 251

-6.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$17.93 MAD 166

6.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.64 MAD 61.5

-38.25%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$88.5 MAD 819

252.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,653 MAD 24.5K

125.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$40.37 MAD 374

43.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.78 MAD 368

-18.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$68.2 MAD 631

46.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$61.4 MAD 568

76.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$230 MAD 2,126

109.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$176 MAD 1,632

115.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$377 MAD 3,488

122.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$246 MAD 2,271

194.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,611 MAD 14.9K

76.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$830 MAD 7,681

47.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$484 MAD 4,473

11.85%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $230 in El Jadida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 12% 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 $190 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 57% 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.

Medellin pays 12% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $230 in El Jadida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% 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 $648 in El Jadida versus $1,017 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 $648 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 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.