Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Essaouira Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Essaouira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $816 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,214 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,613 in Essaouira, rent included.

Medellin costs about 110% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Essaouira is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$4.80 MAD 44.90

67.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$19.41 MAD 182

148.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.75 MAD 72.5

26.06%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.48 MAD 13.82

96.62%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.48 MAD 4.51

304.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.39 MAD 3.68

289.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$5.24 MAD 49.03

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$4.57 MAD 42.76

25.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.90 MAD 8.45

51.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.51 MAD 4.81

368.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.82 MAD 17.01

-6.59%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.69 MAD 15.80

69.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$8.60 MAD 80.5

15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.26 MAD 58.5

72.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.96 MAD 103

34.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.31 MAD 12.29

212.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.18 MAD 11.04

33.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$0.69 MAD 6.43

208.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$0.80 MAD 7.50

176.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.57 MAD 5.37

259.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.72 MAD 6.75

108.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.36 MAD 3.38

230.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.61 MAD 5.73

90.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.98 MAD 37.24

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.56 MAD 61.3

120.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.83 MAD 17.13

-13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.20 MAD 20.54

28.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.88 MAD 8.24

32.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.66 MAD 6.20

93.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.64 MAD 5.96

226.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.50 MAD 14.04

-13.33%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$35.5K MAD 331.7K

-21.99%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$30.8K MAD 287.9K

15.39%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$25.43 MAD 238

592.37%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$18.07 MAD 169

-26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$30.61 MAD 286

-2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.49 MAD 51.4

12.93%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$71.3 MAD 667

1012.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$1,919 MAD 18.0K

369.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$30.05 MAD 281

184.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$45.60 MAD 427

28.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$61.7 MAD 577

120.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$42.99 MAD 402

139.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$406 MAD 3,801

160.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$356 MAD 3,331

90.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$970 MAD 9,072

107.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$594 MAD 5,555

96.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$268 MAD 2,508

148.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.5

68.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $406 in Essaouira. 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 148% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $177 – making Essaouira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 110%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,224 in Essaouira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Essaouira, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $19.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essaouira – 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 Essaouira. 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.