Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Safi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Safi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $611 in Safi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $958 in Safi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,305 in Safi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Safi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Safi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Safi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.76 MAD 34.61

59.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$16.53 MAD 152

98.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.64 MAD 42.72

52.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.96 MAD 18.02

-12.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.61 MAD 5.63

80.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.31 MAD 2.89

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.67 MAD 15.38

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.62 MAD 14.87

89.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.83 MAD 7.64

31.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.47 MAD 4.30

168.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.49 MAD 13.67

-7.38%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.92 MAD 17.64

14.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.10 MAD 65.3

-38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.91 MAD 63.7

-18.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.50 MAD 87.5

-6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.21 MAD 11.15

93.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.24 MAD 11.44

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.83 MAD 7.65

80.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.71 MAD 6.53

94.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.64 MAD 5.94

79.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.66 MAD 6.10

75.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.43 MAD 3.94

106.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.60 MAD 5.48

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.09 MAD 37.63

-44.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.98 MAD 73.5

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.03 MAD 18.71

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.91 MAD 17.59

29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.47 MAD 4.33

82.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$10.79 MAD 99.3

283.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.58 MAD 5.30

153.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.48 MAD 4.43

308.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.39 MAD 58.8

21.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.58 MAD 14.53

-39.87%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$37.9K MAD 348.7K

-52.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$29.6K MAD 272.3K

-10.43%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$29.75 MAD 274

176.47%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.93 MAD 101

-13.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$40.66 MAD 374

-40.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$21.84 MAD 201

18.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.39 MAD 49.59

252.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.87 MAD 35.60

1.55%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$160 MAD 1,470

93.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

58.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$41.95 MAD 386

39.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.23 MAD 324

-8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$97.1 MAD 894

5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$38.73 MAD 357

179.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$241 MAD 2,218

97.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$138 MAD 1,270

174.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$453 MAD 4,171

85.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$237 MAD 2,180

205.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$946 MAD 8,711

194.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$592 MAD 5,450

104.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$463 MAD 4,259

10.64%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Safi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $241 in Safi. 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 11% 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 $17.00 in Safi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $173 – making Safi 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 Safi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $917 in Safi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Safi, 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 $17.00 in Safi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $611 in Safi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Safi, where all-in costs run around $611, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Safi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Safi – 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 Safi. 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.