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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $621 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $948 in Mogadishu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Mogadishu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 176% more than Mogadishu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Mogadishu is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$2.94 SOS 1,671

173.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$34.31 SOS 19.5K

40.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.41 SOS 2,504

121.54%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.02 SOS 1,148

44.06%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.19 SOS 678

63.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.50 SOS 285

204.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.31 SOS 746

3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.57 SOS 894

52.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.76 SOS 431

123.68%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.94 SOS 1,103

47.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$4.94 SOS 2,805

101.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.93 SOS 2,233

174.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$4.54 SOS 2,576

224.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.85 SOS 2,188

6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.99 SOS 561

58.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$3.08 SOS 1,748

-30.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.25 SOS 712

76.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.46 SOS 828

40.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.78 SOS 1,009

-15.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.54 SOS 877

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.50 SOS 287

132.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.97 SOS 1,119

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.48 SOS 274

143.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.98 SOS 555

30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.54 SOS 305

287.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$2.93 SOS 1,667

194.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.92 SOS 522

41.30%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$6,464 SOS 3.7M

449.36%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$157 SOS 89.1K

12.27%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$5.02 SOS 2,849

166.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$66.3 SOS 37.7K

-54.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$31.89 SOS 18.1K

40.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$78.6 SOS 44.7K

908.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$751 SOS 426.6K

1100.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$14.26 SOS 8,102

500.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$14.25 SOS 8,096

310.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$25.29 SOS 14.4K

438.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$32.84 SOS 18.7K

213.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$193 SOS 109.6K

449.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$78.9 SOS 44.8K

761.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$484 SOS 274.7K

316.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$189 SOS 107.4K

517.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$3,230 SOS 1.8M

27.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$2,437 SOS 1.4M

-30.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$275 SOS 156.3K

141.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mogadishu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $193 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 142% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Mogadishu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $162 – 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 176%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $932 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $34.00 in Mogadishu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mogadishu, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.