Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oued Zem Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oued Zem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $763 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,250 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,737 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 115% more than Oued Zem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Oued Zem is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.19 MAD 39.41

91.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$45.68 MAD 429

5.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.52 MAD 70.6

25.27%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.01 MAD 18.89

46.27%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.65 MAD 6.07

186.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.36 MAD 3.34

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$5.26 MAD 49.40

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.24 MAD 30.49

76.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.92 MAD 8.65

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.66 MAD 6.17

263.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.94 MAD 18.22

-12.37%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.00 MAD 18.79

44.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.01 MAD 113

-16.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.66 MAD 62.6

49.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$12.66 MAD 119

12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.64 MAD 15.40

142.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.47 MAD 13.81

7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.88 MAD 8.28

144.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.93 MAD 8.74

147.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.76 MAD 7.11

163.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.78 MAD 7.30

93.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.41 MAD 3.90

192.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.61 MAD 5.77

109.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.25 MAD 39.96

-9.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.73 MAD 72.6

81.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.71 MAD 25.46

-36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.80 MAD 26.33

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.55 MAD 5.14

127.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$19.29 MAD 181

303.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.74 MAD 6.94

77.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.91 MAD 8.54

138.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.42 MAD 41.57

87.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.60 MAD 15.00

-15.00%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$36.0K MAD 337.9K

-23.59%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$32.8K MAD 308.4K

11.32%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$36.54 MAD 343

361.74%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$10.49 MAD 98.6

29.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$33.61 MAD 316

-15.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$26.79 MAD 252

70.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$21.97 MAD 206

-21.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.27 MAD 58.9

6.06%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$190 MAD 1,782

323.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,178 MAD 67.5K

28.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$50.7 MAD 476

72.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$45.58 MAD 428

30.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$93.3 MAD 877

48.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$70.5 MAD 663

44.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$272 MAD 2,558

293.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$172 MAD 1,612

280.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$489 MAD 4,591

294.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$271 MAD 2,548

286.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,242 MAD 11.7K

232.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$863 MAD 8,114

96.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$249 MAD 2,343

162.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.52

142.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $272 in Oued Zem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 163% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $46.00 in Oued Zem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $211 – making Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 115%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,144 in Oued Zem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oued Zem, 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 $46.00 in Oued Zem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $763 in Oued Zem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oued Zem, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Oued Zem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oued Zem – 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 Oued Zem. 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.