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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $656 in Fes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,047 in Fes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,438 in Fes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Fes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Fes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Fes 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.77 MAD 35.12

63.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.99 MAD 308

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.15 MAD 57.4

19.35%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.58 MAD 14.73

8.86%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.46 MAD 4.28

128.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.41 MAD 3.80

87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.04 MAD 28.35

-44.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.26 MAD 30.42

-2.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.84 MAD 7.79

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.55 MAD 5.14

136.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.59 MAD 14.82

-11.95%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.95 MAD 18.18

10.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.49 MAD 116

-64.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.32 MAD 49.62

10.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.49 MAD 88.5

-8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.09 MAD 10.18

109.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.24 MAD 11.53

-10.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.72 MAD 6.68

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.84 MAD 7.88

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.81 MAD 7.59

39.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.95 MAD 8.90

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.43 MAD 4.02

97.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.60 MAD 5.57

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$4.22 MAD 39.39

-44.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.88 MAD 45.47

153.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.49 MAD 23.18

-51.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.41 MAD 31.81

-26.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.46 MAD 4.28

82.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.75 MAD 100

277.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.63 MAD 5.85

125.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.51 MAD 4.79

276.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.35 MAD 40.57

76.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.58 MAD 14.75

-37.34%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$37.6K MAD 350.9K

-52.08%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.2K MAD 272.7K

-8.94%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$34.00 MAD 317

137.68%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.93 MAD 102

-8.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$24.94 MAD 233

-3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$26.73 MAD 249

-6.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$24.51 MAD 229

-21.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.42 MAD 50.6

-26.57%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$55.1 MAD 513

454.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,320 MAD 31.0K

82.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$33.13 MAD 309

75.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.03 MAD 317

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$86.0 MAD 802

17.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$62.5 MAD 583

72.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$287 MAD 2,681

65.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$151 MAD 1,407

149.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$416 MAD 3,876

103.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$216 MAD 2,016

237.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$754 MAD 7,029

326.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$348 MAD 3,247

294.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$517 MAD 4,818

19.37%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fes: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $287 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 19% 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 $33.00 in Fes. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $183 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 57% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $983 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $656 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 $656, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $656 versus $1,031 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.