Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouarzazate Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouarzazate

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $568 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $907 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Medellin costs about 77% more than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ouarzazate are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Ouarzazate 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.78 MAD 44.60

23.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$10.98 MAD 102

200.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.50 MAD 41.97

65.11%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.07 MAD 10.00

54.21%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.42 MAD 3.92

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.36 MAD 3.32

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.82 MAD 26.28

-39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.69 MAD 25.07

18.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.77 MAD 7.20

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.56 MAD 5.24

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.45 MAD 13.55

-4.83%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.66 MAD 15.46

31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.83 MAD 73.0

-42.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.15 MAD 38.65

39.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.54 MAD 61.0

37.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.97 MAD 9.08

139.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.39 MAD 12.95

-23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.63 MAD 5.85

141.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.68 MAD 6.33

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.64 MAD 5.98

76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.46 MAD 4.28

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.23 MAD 2.15

291.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.60 MAD 5.57

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.29 MAD 40.01

-48.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.20 MAD 76.5

47.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.61 MAD 24.38

-54.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.05 MAD 28.43

-18.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.47 MAD 4.41

80.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$16.20 MAD 151

156.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.54 MAD 5.03

162.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.51 MAD 4.76

282.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.78 MAD 25.89

183.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.52 MAD 14.17

-34.87%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$37.9K MAD 353.2K

-53.53%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$29.5K MAD 275.3K

-9.24%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$32.17 MAD 300

158.04%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$5.41 MAD 50.5

79.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$25.05 MAD 234

-6.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$15.08 MAD 141

67.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$23.53 MAD 219

-18.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.82 MAD 35.60

3.40%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$75.8 MAD 707

316.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,303 MAD 58.8K

-5.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$38.89 MAD 363

54.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$50.6 MAD 471

-37.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$50.2 MAD 468

102.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$67.0 MAD 625

60.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$251 MAD 2,343

88.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$130 MAD 1,208

188.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$502 MAD 4,676

69.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$309 MAD 2,880

132.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,231 MAD 11.5K

165.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$896 MAD 8,359

60.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.75

182.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $251 in Ouarzazate. 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 $11.00 in Ouarzazate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $155 – making Ouarzazate 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 Ouarzazate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $852 in Ouarzazate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouarzazate, 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 $11.00 in Ouarzazate. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $568 in Ouarzazate. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ouarzazate, where all-in costs run around $568, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Ouarzazate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ouarzazate – 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 Ouarzazate. 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.