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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $596 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $925 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,253 in Mogadishu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 70% more than Mogadishu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mogadishu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mogadishu 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.40 SOS 1,930

76.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

83.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.41 SOS 2,506

60.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.48 SOS 841

15.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.48 SOS 271

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.33 SOS 189

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$3.93 SOS 2,233

-57.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$14.97 SOS 8,505

-79.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.45 SOS 822

-24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.35 SOS 764

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.90 SOS 510

53.33%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.90 SOS 1,082

15.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.02 SOS 2,851

-12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.92 SOS 2,227

43.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$4.95 SOS 2,813

79.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.33 SOS 1,891

-29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.99 SOS 560

7.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.23 SOS 1,836

-53.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.36 SOS 772

1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.23 SOS 701

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.51 SOS 858

-23.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.36 SOS 774

-34.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.52 SOS 295

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.22 SOS 691

86.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.02 SOS 1,148

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.48 SOS 273

79.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

110.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.02 SOS 582

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.61 SOS 347

221.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.54 SOS 3,714

18.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.01 SOS 571

-5.94%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

139.63%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

324.61%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

-2.20%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.12 SOS 2,909

85.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

-58.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

-17.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$10.54 SOS 5,988

80.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

513.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$571 SOS 324.3K

944.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$17.51 SOS 9,948

235.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

32.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

283.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

80.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$158 SOS 89.7K

201.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

451.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$466 SOS 264.4K

80.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$182 SOS 103.6K

296.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

-13.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

-50.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$260 SOS 147.7K

96.82%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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 97% 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: $188 vs $159 – 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 70%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $894 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $596 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 $596, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.