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 $1,555 per month in Medellin vs $763 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Medellin vs $1,188 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Medellin vs $1,612 in Sa'dah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 104% more than Sa'dah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medellin sits 15% above the global median, while Sa'dah is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.59 COP 24.7K
$6.48 YER 1,531
17.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.78 COP 145.7K
$25.52 YER 6,026
75.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 30.1K
$9.46 YER 2,233
-2.33%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.01 YER 475
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.61 YER 615
-
Cappuccino
$2.95 COP 9,591
$3.70 YER 873
-20.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,861
$1.12 YER 264
60.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 COP 4,391
$0.65 YER 153
107.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 COP 9,544
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46 COP 17.8K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 COP 4,663
$2.08 YER 490
-31.25%
White Bread (500g)
$2.39 COP 7,785
$1.63 YER 384
46.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 COP 5,209
$2.06 YER 486
-22.33%
Eggs
$2.88 COP 9,364
$3.68 YER 869
-21.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.71 COP 31.6K
$17.32 YER 4,090
-43.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.44 COP 30.7K
$8.34 YER 1,969
13.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.24 COP 43.1K
$19.04 YER 4,496
-30.46%
Apples (1kg)
$3.75 COP 12.2K
$3.25 YER 768
15.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 COP 4,703
$1.01 YER 239
43.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,829
$2.14 YER 505
-1.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 COP 6,930
$1.67 YER 394
27.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 COP 6,259
$1.47 YER 346
30.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,984
$1.37 YER 323
11.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 COP 3,549
$1.21 YER 286
-9.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 COP 3,843
$0.68 YER 161
73.53%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.37 YER 795
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.88 YER 444
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.43 YER 809
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.79 COP 12.3K
$5.39 YER 1,272
-29.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.16 COP 42.8K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 COP 5,337
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 COP 7,410
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,825
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.6 COP 239.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,157
$4.10 YER 969
-68.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 COP 6,434
$2.10 YER 495
-5.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.89 COP 25.7K
$7.29 YER 1,722
8.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 COP 4,211
$2.12 YER 501
-39.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 87.2M
$16.7K YER 3.9M
60.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 112.9M
$34.9K YER 8.2M
-0.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 COP 513.6K
$106 YER 25.0K
48.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.39 COP 43.6K
$23.16 YER 5,467
-42.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.28 COP 88.8K
$102 YER 24.1K
-73.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.15 COP 143.7K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.99 COP 52.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.39 COP 20.8K
$5.89 YER 1,390
8.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$777 COP 2.5M
$118 YER 27.8K
560.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,800 COP 28.6M
$2,174 YER 513.2K
304.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.7 COP 269.2K
$42.97 YER 10.1K
92.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 COP 182.6K
$122 YER 28.9K
-54.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$131 COP 425.7K
$46.99 YER 11.1K
178.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.9 COP 312.1K
$41.49 YER 9,795
131.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 COP 2.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,826 COP 5.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$969 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,907 COP 12.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,576 COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sa'dah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$620 COP 2.0M
$312 YER 73.7K
98.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11.25
-2.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Sa'dah: September 27, 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 $26.00 in Sa'dah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 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
Is Sa'dah cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 104%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,333 per month in Medellin and $1,145 in Sa'dah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Sa'dah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Sa'dah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Sa'dah?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Sa'dah?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sa'dah, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Medellin at $1,555. In Sa'dah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Sa'dah more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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