Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $661 in Fes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,038 in Fes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,415 in Fes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Fes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Fes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Fes 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.75 MAD 34.46

59.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$32.51 MAD 299

1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.91 MAD 54.3

19.97%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.56 MAD 14.31

9.62%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.49 MAD 4.47

124.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.38 MAD 3.48

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.95 MAD 27.13

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.25 MAD 29.84

-5.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.85 MAD 7.82

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.52 MAD 4.75

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.67 MAD 15.36

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.02 MAD 18.54

8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.35 MAD 114

-64.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.35 MAD 49.17

5.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.58 MAD 88.1

-7.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.14 MAD 10.45

105.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.26 MAD 11.54

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.76 MAD 7.01

97.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.90 MAD 8.31

53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.79 MAD 7.28

45.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.88 MAD 8.11

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.43 MAD 3.96

106.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.63 MAD 5.81

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.20 MAD 38.60

-45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.88 MAD 44.82

118.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.57 MAD 23.66

-53.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.43 MAD 31.49

-27.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.42 MAD 3.88

104.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$11.01 MAD 101

276.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.65 MAD 5.96

126.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.51 MAD 4.69

284.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.43 MAD 40.72

74.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.59 MAD 14.66

-40.25%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$38.0K MAD 349.4K

-52.31%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$29.5K MAD 270.8K

-10.12%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$33.76 MAD 310

143.63%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.07 MAD 102

-14.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$25.55 MAD 235

-5.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$25.82 MAD 237

0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$24.96 MAD 229

-23.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.53 MAD 50.8

-28.93%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$54.3 MAD 499

470.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,253 MAD 29.9K

83.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$33.30 MAD 306

76.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$33.38 MAD 307

-3.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$85.4 MAD 785

20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$64.1 MAD 589

69.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$291 MAD 2,677

63.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$150 MAD 1,375

153.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$415 MAD 3,815

101.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$223 MAD 2,048

224.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$762 MAD 7,003

266.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$360 MAD 3,312

236.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$520 MAD 4,780

-1.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Fes: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $291 in Fes. 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 2% higher in Fes, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Fes. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $185 in Fes – so Fes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 53% more than Fes, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $992 in Fes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fes, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $33.00 in Fes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $661 in Fes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fes, where all-in costs run around $661, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Fes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fes costs $661 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Fes. 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.