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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $724 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,136 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,548 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Medellin costs about 132% more than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ouarzazate is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.60 MAD 34.12

122.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$31.85 MAD 302

50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.25 MAD 59.3

58.24%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.23 MAD 21.19

40.36%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.65 MAD 6.21

193.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.38 MAD 3.56

297.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.00 MAD 66.4

-55.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.57 MAD 52.8

3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.83 MAD 7.89

73.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.82 MAD 7.76

203.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.60 MAD 15.21

10.62%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.53 MAD 14.49

93.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.82 MAD 74.1

28.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.68 MAD 44.37

116.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.86 MAD 113

20.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$0.76 MAD 7.25

444.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.23 MAD 11.70

30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.65 MAD 6.19

246.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.81 MAD 7.72

177.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.69 MAD 6.59

195.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.84 MAD 7.93

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.23 MAD 2.17

408.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.58 MAD 5.46

125.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.18 MAD 39.60

-6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.82 MAD 74.2

79.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.40 MAD 22.74

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.40 MAD 32.21

-15.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.50 MAD 4.71

144.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$16.70 MAD 158

381.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.52 MAD 4.92

151.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.64 MAD 6.10

242.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$7.36 MAD 69.8

18.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.52 MAD 14.42

-9.87%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.4K MAD 335.8K

-21.38%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$30.4K MAD 288.4K

17.65%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$36.93 MAD 350

380.10%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$5.12 MAD 48.55

171.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$26.66 MAD 253

11.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$26.09 MAD 247

72.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$20.47 MAD 194

-16.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.47 MAD 61.4

2.78%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$100 MAD 953

709.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$8,459 MAD 80.2K

8.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$32.84 MAD 311

172.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$45.96 MAD 436

28.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$84.7 MAD 803

63.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$85.5 MAD 811

19.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$271 MAD 2,569

292.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$171 MAD 1,623

287.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$545 MAD 5,166

246.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$311 MAD 2,952

229.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,222 MAD 11.6K

242.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$847 MAD 8,035

97.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.5

212.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $271 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Ouarzazate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $175 – 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 132%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,085 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $32.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $724 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 $724, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.