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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $837 in Essaouira, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,254 in Essaouira, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,671 in Essaouira, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Essaouira, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Essaouira are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Essaouira 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.36 MAD 40.68

41.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$25.14 MAD 234

29.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.97 MAD 46.37

47.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.76 MAD 16.37

-2.27%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.46 MAD 4.26

128.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.26 MAD 2.41

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.79 MAD 35.36

-55.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.72 MAD 34.69

-14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.84 MAD 7.87

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.49 MAD 4.57

165.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.65 MAD 15.43

-15.15%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.81 MAD 16.90

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.24 MAD 86.1

-52.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.29 MAD 49.31

11.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.42 MAD 107

-24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.42 MAD 13.21

60.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.22 MAD 11.42

-9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.72 MAD 6.69

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.88 MAD 8.22

53.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.70 MAD 6.52

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.91 MAD 8.48

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.39 MAD 3.66

117.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 MAD 4.97

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$4.15 MAD 38.66

-43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.45 MAD 60.1

91.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.93 MAD 18.03

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.20 MAD 20.52

13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.87 MAD 8.11

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$16.46 MAD 154

146.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.63 MAD 5.92

125.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.48 MAD 4.43

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.98 MAD 83.8

-14.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.58 MAD 14.70

-37.34%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$37.2K MAD 346.5K

-51.48%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.1K MAD 196.4K

26.44%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$27.86 MAD 260

190.06%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.90 MAD 130

-28.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$27.94 MAD 261

-13.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$21.61 MAD 202

16.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$22.76 MAD 212

-15.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.65 MAD 62.0

-40.15%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$75.3 MAD 702

305.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,956 MAD 18.2K

209.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$30.88 MAD 288

88.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.68 MAD 370

-18.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$49.28 MAD 460

104.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$44.34 MAD 413

143.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$388 MAD 3,617

22.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$346 MAD 3,229

8.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$813 MAD 7,584

3.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$559 MAD 5,209

30.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$268 MAD 2,498

130.23%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 130% 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: $193 vs $176 – 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 23%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,256 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 10% 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 $837, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.