Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Essaouira

For one person, living is cheaper in Essaouira: $781 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Essaouira
Learn more

Essaouira Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Essaouira

🇲🇦 Morocco

$781

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Essaouira

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Essaouira actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $781 in Essaouira, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Essaouira $781

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $1,172 in Essaouira, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Essaouira $1,172

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $1,563 in Essaouira, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Essaouira $1,563

Medellin costs about 108% more than Essaouira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Essaouira is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$4.52 MAD 44.11

83.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$18.78 MAD 183

149.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$7.36 MAD 71.8

25.54%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$1.33 MAD 12.92

129.32%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$0.46 MAD 4.49

291.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$0.37 MAD 3.64

272.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$5.10 MAD 49.73

-36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$4.39 MAD 42.83

26.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$0.91 MAD 8.87

64.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$0.52 MAD 5.08

355.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$1.67 MAD 16.33

1.80%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$1.62 MAD 15.76

82.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$8.12 MAD 79.1

25.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$5.92 MAD 57.8

64.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$10.67 MAD 104

30.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$1.28 MAD 12.50

222.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$1.17 MAD 11.45

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$0.66 MAD 6.45

236.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$0.77 MAD 7.48

194.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$0.58 MAD 5.67

243.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$0.70 MAD 6.79

138.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$0.35 MAD 3.41

237.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$0.59 MAD 5.72

110.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$3.85 MAD 37.58

0.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$5.98 MAD 58.3

130.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$1.70 MAD 16.58

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$2.09 MAD 20.34

14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$0.85 MAD 8.32

45.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$0.62 MAD 6.09

106.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$0.64 MAD 6.23

235.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.48 MAD 14.46

-8.78%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$31.0K MAD 302.6K

12.02%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$32.1K MAD 313.0K

8.04%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$24.14 MAD 235

590.35%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$16.96 MAD 165

-19.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$29.95 MAD 292

-2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$5.10 MAD 49.70

36.67%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$67.8 MAD 661

1065.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$1,803 MAD 17.6K

401.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$29.33 MAD 286

199.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$42.93 MAD 419

35.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$59.1 MAD 576

135.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$40.42 MAD 394

144.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$386 MAD 3,760

166.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$334 MAD 3,259

85.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$913 MAD 8,905

105.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$569 MAD 5,547

77.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$254 MAD 2,479

160.85%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Essaouira

$334 42.8% 46% $285

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Essaouira

$170 21.7% 43.1% $128

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Essaouira

$71 9.1% 66.1% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Essaouira

$77 9.9% 55.3% $95

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Essaouira

$112 14.3% 34.6% $59

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Essaouira

$7.2 * 0.9% 92.4% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Essaouira

$10 * 1.3% 82.7% $49

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $386 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 161% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $170 – making Essaouira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇲🇦 Essaouira

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

09:48 9:48 AM

6 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

77,966

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Essaouira 7,360 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Essaouira

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 108%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $1,172 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 $47.00 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 76% 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 $781, than in Medellin at $1,625. 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.