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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $574 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $904 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,234 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% 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

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.75 MAD 43.84

26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$10.99 MAD 102

198.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$4.35 MAD 40.22

70.57%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.08 MAD 9.95

52.78%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.42 MAD 3.90

154.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.32 MAD 2.99

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.71 MAD 25.05

-36.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.67 MAD 24.65

19.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.77 MAD 7.10

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.56 MAD 5.18

133.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.45 MAD 13.43

-7.59%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.63 MAD 15.07

34.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$7.64 MAD 70.6

-42.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$4.18 MAD 38.66

36.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$6.68 MAD 61.8

27.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$0.95 MAD 8.76

146.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.38 MAD 12.76

-19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.67 MAD 6.20

126.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.73 MAD 6.72

87.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.67 MAD 6.23

71.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.46 MAD 4.22

156.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.21 MAD 1.93

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.63 MAD 5.81

36.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$4.51 MAD 41.71

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$7.98 MAD 73.7

45.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.64 MAD 24.35

-54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.95 MAD 27.25

-15.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.51 MAD 4.72

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$16.52 MAD 153

147.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.53 MAD 4.86

177.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.48 MAD 4.45

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.69 MAD 24.83

188.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.55 MAD 14.34

-34.84%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$36.9K MAD 340.6K

-52.11%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$29.3K MAD 270.5K

-9.64%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$32.28 MAD 298

151.24%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$5.41 MAD 49.94

74.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$24.59 MAD 227

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$15.43 MAD 143

68.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$23.49 MAD 217

-20.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.90 MAD 36.06

4.87%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$78.2 MAD 722

302.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,406 MAD 59.2K

-6.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$38.65 MAD 357

54.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$49.64 MAD 459

-35.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$49.53 MAD 458

104.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$66.8 MAD 617

57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$246 MAD 2,269

97.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$133 MAD 1,231

174.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$510 MAD 4,714

62.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$304 MAD 2,813

139.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,547 MAD 14.3K

93.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$934 MAD 8,628

40.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $246 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 79%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $861 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $574 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 $574, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.