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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $642 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,013 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Laayoune, rent included.

Medellin costs about 61% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Laayoune are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Laayoune 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.79 MAD 35.08

56.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$29.20 MAD 270

12.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.59 MAD 42.45

56.86%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.59 MAD 14.72

6.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.48 MAD 4.44

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.31 MAD 2.91

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.40 MAD 31.43

-50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.68 MAD 43.31

-33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.78 MAD 7.21

35.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.60 MAD 5.50

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.89 MAD 17.53

-26.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.37 MAD 12.68

64.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.64 MAD 108

-62.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.39 MAD 31.38

72.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.05 MAD 83.8

-2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.54 MAD 14.28

45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.19 MAD 10.99

-9.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.67 MAD 6.24

128.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.56 MAD 5.20

144.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.47 MAD 4.37

140.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.36 MAD 3.35

211.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.89 MAD 8.25

-4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 MAD 5.10

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.50 MAD 32.36

-32.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.56 MAD 5.17

41.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.44 MAD 106

259.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.71 MAD 6.54

102.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.69 MAD 6.34

176.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.29 MAD 11.90

-27.13%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$38.8K MAD 359.4K

-53.87%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.4K MAD 244.5K

1.37%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$32.41 MAD 300

159.06%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.36 MAD 207

8.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.75 MAD 210

13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$35.12 MAD 325

-45.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.50 MAD 32.35

12.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$295 MAD 2,728

3.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,407 MAD 31.5K

73.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$34.06 MAD 315

70.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$57.7 MAD 533

-44.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$76.1 MAD 704

31.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$80.0 MAD 740

33.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$354 MAD 3,270

37.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$171 MAD 1,577

115.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$693 MAD 6,408

19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$287 MAD 2,657

149.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $354 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 $146 – 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 61%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $962 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 30% 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 $642, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.