Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mogadishu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mogadishu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $600 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $944 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,289 in Mogadishu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 72% more than Mogadishu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mogadishu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mogadishu 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.55 SOS 2,016

73.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

80.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.38 SOS 2,487

67.58%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.47 SOS 835

17.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.49 SOS 278

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.33 SOS 187

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$4.04 SOS 2,293

-58.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$15.09 SOS 8,570

-78.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.45 SOS 822

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.35 SOS 768

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.93 SOS 528

50.54%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.91 SOS 1,087

13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.04 SOS 2,865

-12.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.06 SOS 2,305

44.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.01 SOS 2,847

72.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.47 SOS 1,972

-34.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.97 SOS 551

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.23 SOS 1,834

-52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.36 SOS 772

-0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.19 SOS 676

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.51 SOS 860

-25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.34 SOS 762

-36.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.48 SOS 273

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.21 SOS 688

93.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.99 SOS 1,128

-39.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.48 SOS 274

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

101.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.01 SOS 575

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.58 SOS 330

231.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.42 SOS 3,646

19.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.02 SOS 579

-2.94%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

139.79%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

333.95%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

-4.22%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.04 SOS 2,860

97.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

-57.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

-18.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.41 SOS 5,912

83.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

514.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$577 SOS 327.5K

950.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$17.37 SOS 9,864

234.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

32.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

282.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

78.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$158 SOS 89.5K

202.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

464.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$466 SOS 264.9K

81.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$177 SOS 100.3K

313.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

-0.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

-42.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$262 SOS 148.6K

135.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $158 in Mogadishu. 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 136% 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 $18.00 in Mogadishu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $160 – making Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $900 in Mogadishu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mogadishu, 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 $18.00 in Mogadishu. 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 $600 in Mogadishu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mogadishu, where all-in costs run around $600, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Mogadishu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mogadishu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mogadishu. 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.