Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rabat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $900 in Rabat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,571 in Rabat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,242 in Rabat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Rabat, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Rabat are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Rabat 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.69 MAD 43.35

26.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$49.21 MAD 455

-32.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.53 MAD 60.4

10.72%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.96 MAD 18.14

-16.84%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.61 MAD 5.68

78.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.38 MAD 3.48

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.51 MAD 51.0

-68.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.00 MAD 37.05

-19.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.89 MAD 8.19

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.50 MAD 4.64

158.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.95 MAD 18.00

-32.31%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.96 MAD 18.10

15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.01 MAD 120

-66.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.14 MAD 66.1

-17.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.97 MAD 111

-28.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.62 MAD 14.95

38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.39 MAD 12.82

-23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.76 MAD 7.04

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.80 MAD 7.39

77.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.73 MAD 6.76

60.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.66 MAD 6.11

77.27%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.80

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.40 MAD 40.67

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.92 MAD 73.3

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.71 MAD 25.10

-57.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.45 MAD 22.68

-2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.57 MAD 5.24

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$27.67 MAD 256

51.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.53 MAD 4.94

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.82 MAD 7.59

131.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.47 MAD 41.39

73.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.53 MAD 14.19

-33.99%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$37.7K MAD 349.0K

-53.41%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.7K MAD 275.0K

-10.86%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$41.01 MAD 379

104.05%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.17 MAD 103

-15.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$40.41 MAD 374

-40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$30.55 MAD 283

-17.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$28.23 MAD 261

-32.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.40 MAD 59.2

-35.94%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$161 MAD 1,487

94.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,610 MAD 61.1K

-9.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$53.5 MAD 495

8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$48.11 MAD 445

-32.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$109 MAD 1,007

-8.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$101 MAD 930

7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$449 MAD 4,153

7.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$262 MAD 2,422

44.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

-25.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$724 MAD 6,700

-0.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,099 MAD 19.4K

35.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,186 MAD 11.0K

3.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$726 MAD 6,717

-25.52%

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 Rabat: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $449 in Rabat. 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 34% higher in Rabat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $49.00 in Rabat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $210 – 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 Rabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,349 in Rabat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rabat, 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 Rabat. 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 $900 in Rabat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rabat, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Rabat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabat – 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 Rabat. 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.