Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Laayoune Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Laayoune

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $627 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,026 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,425 in Laayoune, rent included.

Medellin costs about 62% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Laayoune 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.90 MAD 36.11

52.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$29.17 MAD 270

14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.72 MAD 43.65

53.18%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.61 MAD 14.91

1.24%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.48 MAD 4.48

127.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.32 MAD 2.95

128.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.45 MAD 31.88

-49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.57 MAD 42.26

-29.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.83 MAD 7.72

26.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.59 MAD 5.47

118.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.90 MAD 17.55

-30.53%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.37 MAD 12.64

65.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.62 MAD 107

-62.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.53 MAD 32.66

66.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.12 MAD 84.3

-5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.54 MAD 14.24

46.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.18 MAD 10.91

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.71 MAD 6.53

114.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.55 MAD 5.11

158.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.44 MAD 4.10

165.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.36 MAD 3.33

225.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.95 MAD 8.79

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.59 MAD 5.48

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.45 MAD 31.94

-31.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.59 MAD 5.49

42.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.44 MAD 106

266.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.75 MAD 6.96

88.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.70 MAD 6.46

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.24 MAD 11.50

-18.55%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$39.0K MAD 360.8K

-54.93%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.9K MAD 249.1K

-1.61%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$33.13 MAD 307

152.58%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.13 MAD 205

8.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.45 MAD 217

7.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$34.92 MAD 323

-45.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.44 MAD 31.86

19.19%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$293 MAD 2,709

6.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,405 MAD 31.5K

76.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$35.29 MAD 326

64.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$58.5 MAD 541

-44.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$73.9 MAD 684

34.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$80.8 MAD 747

34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$347 MAD 3,207

39.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$172 MAD 1,593

120.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$685 MAD 6,334

22.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$289 MAD 2,677

149.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $347 in Laayoune. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Laayoune. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $147 – making Laayoune 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 Laayoune: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $940 in Laayoune. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laayoune, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $29.00 in Laayoune. 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 Laayoune, where all-in costs run around $627, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Laayoune it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Laayoune – 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 Laayoune. 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.