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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $695 in Fes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,074 in Fes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,452 in Fes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 136% more than Fes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Fes is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.23 MAD 30.35

148.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$31.46 MAD 296

53.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.37 MAD 59.9

47.88%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.34 MAD 12.57

119.40%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.60 MAD 5.61

210.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.40 MAD 3.80

265.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.83 MAD 35.98

-16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.17 MAD 39.23

36.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.80 MAD 7.51

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.56 MAD 5.27

328.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.86 MAD 17.48

-8.60%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.87 MAD 17.53

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.03 MAD 94.3

0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.65 MAD 43.66

114.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$9.51 MAD 89.3

49.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.04 MAD 19.14

95.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.60 MAD 15.01

-1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.09 MAD 10.25

97.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.05 MAD 9.86

119.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.89 MAD 8.40

124.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.08 MAD 10.12

39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.50 MAD 4.65

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.59 MAD 5.56

116.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.30 MAD 40.41

-10.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$4.87 MAD 45.77

187.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.80 MAD 26.30

-38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.28 MAD 30.83

-16.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.41 MAD 3.86

204.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$10.56 MAD 99.2

637.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.66 MAD 6.24

98.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.74 MAD 6.92

193.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.51 MAD 14.24

-9.93%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$35.5K MAD 333.5K

-22.58%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$35.2K MAD 331.2K

3.68%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$33.73 MAD 317

400.21%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$10.77 MAD 101

26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$37.06 MAD 348

-23.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$27.86 MAD 262

64.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$19.94 MAD 187

-13.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.30 MAD 49.81

25.47%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$97.8 MAD 919

721.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,452 MAD 60.6K

42.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$19.49 MAD 183

348.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$55.1 MAD 518

7.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$86.0 MAD 808

61.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$59.1 MAD 555

72.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$314 MAD 2,953

240.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$186 MAD 1,744

251.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$569 MAD 5,343

238.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$257 MAD 2,420

306.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$744 MAD 6,995

453.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$342 MAD 3,213

396.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$498 MAD 4,684

31.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Fes: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $314 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 31% 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 $31.00 in Fes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $184 – making Fes 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 Fes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 136% more than Fes, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,043 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $31.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $695 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 $695, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $695 versus $1,641 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.