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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $783 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,295 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,808 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Oued Zem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Oued Zem are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Oued Zem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.63 MAD 42.81

28.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$49.13 MAD 454

-32.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.81 MAD 63.0

6.17%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.04 MAD 18.87

-20.10%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.58 MAD 5.35

87.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 MAD 3.77

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.38 MAD 49.78

-67.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.05 MAD 37.46

-20.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.89 MAD 8.21

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.50 MAD 4.65

158.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.87 MAD 17.30

-29.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.02 MAD 18.73

12.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.04 MAD 121

-66.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.95 MAD 64.3

-15.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.61 MAD 107

-25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.60 MAD 14.78

40.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.39 MAD 12.89

-23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.78 MAD 7.23

94.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.86 MAD 7.96

65.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.72 MAD 6.70

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.69 MAD 6.39

69.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.39 MAD 3.65

128.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 MAD 5.38

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.40 MAD 40.70

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.73 MAD 71.5

42.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-58.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.43 MAD 22.48

-2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.47 MAD 4.38

78.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$16.59 MAD 153

152.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.56 MAD 5.22

151.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.88 MAD 8.11

115.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.33 MAD 40.08

78.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.53 MAD 14.16

-33.99%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

-51.89%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

-8.59%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$41.67 MAD 385

100.82%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.86 MAD 100

-12.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$39.64 MAD 367

-39.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.97 MAD 222

5.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$23.10 MAD 214

-17.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.76 MAD 62.5

-39.35%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$160 MAD 1,480

94.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

-7.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$53.4 MAD 494

8.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$47.87 MAD 443

-31.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$106 MAD 979

-5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$101 MAD 931

7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$279 MAD 2,584

72.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$176 MAD 1,632

115.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$509 MAD 4,707

64.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$307 MAD 2,841

135.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

105.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,050 MAD 9,710

16.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$246 MAD 2,274

120.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.81

179.21%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $279 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 120% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Oued Zem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $208 – making Medellin 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 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,174 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $49.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $783 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 $783, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.