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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $571 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $922 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,273 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Medellin costs about 81% more than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ouarzazate are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ouarzazate 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.75 MAD 43.92

24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$11.07 MAD 102

195.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.45 MAD 41.20

61.80%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.07 MAD 9.89

58.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.46 MAD 4.27

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.33 MAD 3.01

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.67 MAD 24.72

-37.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.67 MAD 24.73

16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.81 MAD 7.47

30.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.53 MAD 4.92

135.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.52 MAD 14.10

-8.55%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.63 MAD 15.11

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.81 MAD 72.3

-44.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.00 MAD 37.00

46.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.68 MAD 61.8

32.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.92 MAD 8.49

143.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.38 MAD 12.76

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.64 MAD 5.94

139.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.69 MAD 6.35

98.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.64 MAD 5.91

76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.46 MAD 4.27

143.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.21 MAD 1.94

304.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.62 MAD 5.76

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.30 MAD 39.75

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.98 MAD 73.8

39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.70 MAD 24.99

-55.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.93 MAD 27.10

-19.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.51 MAD 4.68

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$16.15 MAD 149

154.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.57 MAD 5.27

152.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.48 MAD 4.41

297.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.70 MAD 25.02

197.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.57 MAD 14.48

-40.13%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$37.2K MAD 344.3K

-51.85%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$30.3K MAD 280.3K

-11.59%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$32.25 MAD 298

160.34%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$5.32 MAD 49.17

80.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$24.24 MAD 224

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$15.54 MAD 144

66.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$23.07 MAD 213

-17.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.92 MAD 36.23

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$76.2 MAD 705

302.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,286 MAD 58.1K

-5.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$39.02 MAD 361

48.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$49.86 MAD 461

-36.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$48.44 MAD 448

106.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$65.1 MAD 602

64.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$243 MAD 2,249

100.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$133 MAD 1,232

176.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$509 MAD 4,706

62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$308 MAD 2,849

132.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,599 MAD 14.8K

82.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$941 MAD 8,703

49.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $243 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: $190 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 81%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $856 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $571 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 $571, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.