Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouarzazate

For one person, living is cheaper in Ouarzazate: $706 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Ouarzazate, Morocco
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Ouarzazate
🇲🇦 Morocco
$706
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ouarzazate

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ouarzazate actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $706 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Ouarzazate $706

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,099 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Ouarzazate $1,099

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,492 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Ouarzazate $1,492

Medellin costs about 132% more than Ouarzazate, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Ouarzazate is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$3.93 MAD 38.58
105.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$30.65 MAD 301
53.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$6.02 MAD 59.2
57.81%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$2.47 MAD 24.29
21.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$0.56 MAD 5.46
221.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$0.37 MAD 3.60
281.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$6.56 MAD 64.5
-51.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$5.58 MAD 54.8
3.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$0.80 MAD 7.81
88.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$0.85 MAD 8.38
180.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$1.47 MAD 14.43
20.41%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$1.52 MAD 14.95
90.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$7.64 MAD 75.1
33.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$4.45 MAD 43.69
121.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$11.29 MAD 111
23.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$0.74 MAD 7.32
436.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$1.26 MAD 12.34
23.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$0.64 MAD 6.25
240.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$0.72 MAD 7.03
202.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$0.66 MAD 6.45
196.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$0.75 MAD 7.38
112.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$0.23 MAD 2.26
400.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$0.61 MAD 5.97
103.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$3.99 MAD 39.23
-0.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$7.68 MAD 75.5
78.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$2.23 MAD 21.92
-25.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$3.38 MAD 33.27
-33.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$0.50 MAD 4.94
134.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$18.66 MAD 183
314.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$0.53 MAD 5.19
139.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$0.62 MAD 6.10
230.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$7.09 MAD 69.7
20.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.41 MAD 13.84
-4.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$30.1K MAD 296.4K
12.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$30.9K MAD 303.6K
12.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$35.09 MAD 345
383.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$4.96 MAD 48.75
173.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$25.40 MAD 250
10.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$25.27 MAD 248
72.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$17.98 MAD 177
-4.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$6.41 MAD 63.0
7.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$98.6 MAD 969
708.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$8,270 MAD 81.3K
10.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$31.20 MAD 307
171.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$43.88 MAD 431
32.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$80.4 MAD 790
67.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$79.7 MAD 783
22.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$278 MAD 2,730
334.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$176 MAD 1,732
264.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$519 MAD 5,105
290.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$265 MAD 2,606
281.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$1,196 MAD 11.8K
248.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$828 MAD 8,134
130.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Ouarzazate
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$201 MAD 1,979
226.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.5
143.11%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Ouarzazate
$176 72.5% $465
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Ouarzazate
$170 42.8% $127
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Ouarzazate
$65 69% $146
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Ouarzazate
$127 25.3% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Ouarzazate
$106 37.4% $63
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Ouarzazate
$24 74% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Ouarzazate
$38 33.8% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $278 in Ouarzazate. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Medellin are about 3.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $31 in Ouarzazate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $170 – making Ouarzazate the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇲🇦 Ouarzazate
🕒 Local time
01:56 1:56 AM
06:56 6:56 AM
5 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
71,067
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.83 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.98 MAD (100 MAD = 9.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Ouarzazate 7,620 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Ouarzazate

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Ouarzazate cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 132%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,059 in Ouarzazate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouarzazate, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $278 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Ouarzazate?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $31 in Ouarzazate. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Ouarzazate?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $706 in Ouarzazate. That makes Ouarzazate about 57% cheaper.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Ouarzazate?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Ouarzazate, where all-in costs run around $706, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Ouarzazate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Ouarzazate more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ouarzazate. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?