Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabadell

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $1,828 in Sabadell, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Sabadell outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Sabadell
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,828
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Sabadell

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Sabadell actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,828 in Sabadell, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Sabadell $1,828

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,513 in Sabadell, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Sabadell $2,513

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $3,197 in Sabadell, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Sabadell $3,197

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Sabadell, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Medellin and Sabadell sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Sabadell by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$14.34 €12.76
-42.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$55.3 €49.16
-15.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$9.97 €8.87
-7.32%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$2.40 €2.14
27.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$2.41 €2.14
-25.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$1.89 €1.68
-26.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$3.35 €2.98
-3.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$3.37 €3.00
64.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.15 €1.03
30.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$2.09 €1.86
13.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.40 €1.24
21.43%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$3.09 €2.75
-4.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$14.79 €13.16
-30.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$8.59 €7.64
13.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$19.86 €17.66
-30.01%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$2.50 €2.23
65.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$2.06 €1.83
-25.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$2.58 €2.30
-13.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$2.48 €2.20
-8.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$1.83 €1.63
8.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$2.06 €1.83
-18.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.52 €1.35
-22.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.95 €0.84
30.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$6.80 €6.05
-43.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$5.53 €4.92
149.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$1.14 €1.01
45.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$2.40 €2.13
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$2.40 €2.13
-48.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$23.16 €20.61
237.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$3.15 €2.80
-59.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$1.34 €1.20
60.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$23.93 €21.29
-65.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.77 €1.57
-23.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$33.3K €29.6K
4.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$29.0K €25.8K
19.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$127 €113
31.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$13.65 €12.14
-0.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$33.43 €29.74
-12.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$30.56 €27.19
47.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$8.49 €7.55
102.36%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$10.07 €8.96
-30.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$505 €449
56.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$10.0K €8,898
-9.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$78.7 €70.0
11.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$34.25 €30.47
69.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$107 €95.2
29.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$90.1 €80.1
9.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$1,012 €900
1.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$914 €813
-32.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$1,443 €1,283
30.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$1,091 €971
-7.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$3,477 €3,093
14.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$2,574 €2,290
-33.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sabadell
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$2,163 €1,924
-69.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.3
231.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sabadell: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Sabadell
$914 47.5% $294
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Sabadell
$293 1.5% $4.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Sabadell
$174 16.8% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Sabadell
$140 19.2% $33
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Sabadell
$214 25.4% $43
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Sabadell
$43 55.2% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Sabadell
$51 14.1% $8.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,012 in Sabadell. 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 226% higher in Sabadell, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $55.0 in Sabadell. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Medellin vs $293 in Sabadell – so Sabadell wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇪🇸 Sabadell
🕒 Local time
02:36 2:36 AM
09:36 9:36 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
218,300
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Sabadell 8,520 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Sabadell

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sabadell: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sabadell cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Sabadell is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,743 in Sabadell. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Sabadell?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $55.0 in Sabadell. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Sabadell?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $1,828 in Sabadell. That's a gap of about 13%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Sabadell?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Sabadell at $1,828. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabadell it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Sabadell more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Sabadell?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sabadell makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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