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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $810 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,226 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,642 in Essaouira, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Essaouira 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.34 MAD 39.86

38.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$24.74 MAD 227

32.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.99 MAD 45.88

42.08%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.84 MAD 16.91

-7.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.45 MAD 4.13

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.26 MAD 2.36

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.85 MAD 35.40

-56.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.57 MAD 32.83

-14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.85 MAD 7.80

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.53 MAD 4.90

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.69 MAD 15.57

-18.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.80 MAD 16.52

21.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.59 MAD 88.1

-54.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.34 MAD 49.08

5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.51 MAD 106

-22.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.37 MAD 12.55

70.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.27 MAD 11.70

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.72 MAD 6.59

108.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.93 MAD 8.56

48.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.69 MAD 6.36

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.92 MAD 8.47

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.39 MAD 3.60

128.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.54 MAD 4.92

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.07 MAD 37.43

-43.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$6.61 MAD 60.8

60.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.93 MAD 17.76

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.16 MAD 19.83

14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.90 MAD 8.25

-4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$16.40 MAD 151

152.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.68 MAD 6.26

116.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.51 MAD 4.72

284.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.69 MAD 79.8

-10.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.58 MAD 14.54

-39.87%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$37.6K MAD 345.7K

-51.80%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

25.90%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$28.04 MAD 258

193.33%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.82 MAD 127

-31.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$28.65 MAD 263

-15.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.11 MAD 203

17.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$23.63 MAD 217

-19.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.71 MAD 61.7

-41.43%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$75.6 MAD 695

309.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,990 MAD 18.3K

199.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$31.43 MAD 289

86.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$39.79 MAD 366

-18.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$48.84 MAD 449

110.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$44.20 MAD 406

145.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$388 MAD 3,563

22.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$345 MAD 3,173

9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$795 MAD 7,308

5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$545 MAD 5,011

32.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$268 MAD 2,462

91.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.5

144.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $388 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 91% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $179 – 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 25%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,215 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.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $810, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.