Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sa'dah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sa'dah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $766 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,189 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,611 in Sa'dah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% more than Sa'dah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sa'dah is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.16 YER 1,459

28.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$25.34 YER 6,001

75.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.36 YER 2,217

-0.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 YER 467

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 YER 580

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.75 YER 888

-22.67%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.16 YER 274

56.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.63 YER 149

146.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.07 YER 491

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.71 YER 404

43.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.99 YER 472

-24.12%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.57 YER 845

-22.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$17.43 YER 4,128

-48.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$8.26 YER 1,955

28.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$18.81 YER 4,456

-22.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.35 YER 794

18.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.00 YER 237

38.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.19 YER 519

5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.62 YER 384

24.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.48 YER 350

41.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.37 YER 324

18.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.21 YER 287

-10.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.69 YER 164

81.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 YER 773

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 440

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 YER 807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$5.52 YER 1,307

-26.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$4.22 YER 1,000

-61.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.15 YER 510

-0.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$7.03 YER 1,666

21.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$2.10 YER 497

-35.71%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$16.8K YER 4.0M

68.89%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$35.1K YER 8.3M

1.60%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$108 YER 25.6K

40.08%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$23.19 YER 5,491

-43.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$103 YER 24.4K

-68.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$6.05 YER 1,432

6.28%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$115 YER 27.2K

625.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$2,150 YER 509.1K

313.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$42.74 YER 10.1K

109.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$121 YER 28.7K

-54.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$48.10 YER 11.4K

183.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$40.30 YER 9,545

171.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$314 YER 74.4K

98.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

11.25

-7.29%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sa'dah: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 99% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Sa'dah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $270 – making Sa'dah 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 Sa'dah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 120%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,150 in Sa'dah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Sa'dah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sa'dah, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Sa'dah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sa'dah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sa'dah. 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.