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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $619 in Safi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $948 in Safi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,277 in Safi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 67% more than Safi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Safi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Safi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.95 MAD 36.93

55.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.24 MAD 152

100.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.70 MAD 43.97

56.17%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.96 MAD 18.32

-12.24%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.62 MAD 5.81

69.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.32 MAD 2.97

140.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.65 MAD 15.46

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.66 MAD 15.50

90.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.87 MAD 8.09

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.50 MAD 4.72

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.53 MAD 14.32

-8.50%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.87 MAD 17.53

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.39 MAD 69.2

-40.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.81 MAD 63.7

-13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.58 MAD 89.6

-9.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.27 MAD 11.90

79.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.20 MAD 11.21

-7.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.77 MAD 7.20

98.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.71 MAD 6.68

90.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.67 MAD 6.30

68.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.70 MAD 6.54

61.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.42 MAD 3.93

102.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.64 MAD 5.98

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.13 MAD 38.69

-43.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.63 MAD 71.4

62.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.98 MAD 18.56

-39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.94 MAD 18.13

28.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.51 MAD 4.79

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.85 MAD 102

273.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.53 MAD 4.97

167.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.51 MAD 4.81

276.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.62 MAD 62.0

15.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.59 MAD 14.86

-37.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.8K MAD 344.3K

-51.00%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$30.0K MAD 280.4K

-11.14%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$29.16 MAD 273

177.13%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.26 MAD 105

-11.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$40.37 MAD 378

-40.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.73 MAD 203

15.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.56 MAD 52.0

244.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.94 MAD 36.86

1.02%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$160 MAD 1,497

90.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,729 MAD 34.9K

62.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$42.18 MAD 395

37.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$36.17 MAD 338

-10.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$98.5 MAD 921

2.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$38.95 MAD 364

176.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$245 MAD 2,296

94.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$141 MAD 1,317

167.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$454 MAD 4,248

86.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$240 MAD 2,247

204.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$920 MAD 8,605

249.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$561 MAD 5,250

144.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$458 MAD 4,283

34.75%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Safi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $245 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 35% 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 $16.00 in Safi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $174 – 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 67%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $928 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 $16.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $619 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 $619, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.