Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Safi

For one person, living is cheaper in Safi: $585 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Safi
🇲🇦 Morocco
$585
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Safi

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 Safi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $585 in Safi, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Safi $585

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $917 in Safi, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Safi $917

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,250 in Safi, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Safi $1,250

Medellin costs about 176% more than Safi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Safi is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Safi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$3.04 MAD 29.65
160.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$20.72 MAD 202
122.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$4.55 MAD 44.41
108.79%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$1.54 MAD 15.00
101.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$0.54 MAD 5.23
238.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$0.34 MAD 3.28
305.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$1.52 MAD 14.82
100.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$1.52 MAD 14.80
261.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Safi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$0.82 MAD 7.95
76.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$0.47 MAD 4.55
402.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$1.53 MAD 14.96
9.80%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$1.73 MAD 16.84
65.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$6.87 MAD 67.0
48.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$6.85 MAD 66.8
39.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$8.98 MAD 87.6
56.35%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$1.15 MAD 11.20
253.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.16 MAD 11.34
29.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$0.82 MAD 7.96
164.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$0.67 MAD 6.52
244.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$0.61 MAD 5.91
216.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$0.80 MAD 7.84
105.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$0.40 MAD 3.92
182.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$0.57 MAD 5.51
119.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$3.72 MAD 36.26
7.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$7.35 MAD 71.6
81.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$1.86 MAD 18.09
-8.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$1.78 MAD 17.33
33.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Safi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$0.44 MAD 4.30
175.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$10.48 MAD 102
629.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$0.71 MAD 6.93
85.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$0.55 MAD 5.32
289.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$6.02 MAD 58.7
40.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$1.45 MAD 14.17
-10.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$31.4K MAD 305.7K
-10.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$30.6K MAD 298.3K
15.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Safi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$35.89 MAD 350
379.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$10.31 MAD 100
29.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$33.94 MAD 331
-15.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Safi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$18.83 MAD 184
140.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
$5.27 MAD 51.3
223.34%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$3.54 MAD 34.55
77.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Safi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$97.5 MAD 950
690.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$3,667 MAD 35.8K
145.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Safi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$39.69 MAD 387
117.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$33.43 MAD 326
70.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$93.5 MAD 911
46.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$36.63 MAD 357
167.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Safi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$279 MAD 2,718
278.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$135 MAD 1,319
355.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$466 MAD 4,548
305.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$246 MAD 2,395
316.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$892 MAD 8,693
355.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$560 MAD 5,458
199.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Safi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$443 MAD 4,318
47.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.55
140.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Safi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Safi
$135 78% $481
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Safi
$166 43.5% $128
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Safi
$80 62.6% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Safi
$91 46.2% $79
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Safi
$71 58.1% $98
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Safi
$16 83.2% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Safi
$26 55.2% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $279 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 47% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Safi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $166 – making Safi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇲🇦 Safi
🕒 Local time
00:01 12:01 AM
06:01 6:01 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
323,888
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Safi 7,420 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Safi

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 Safi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Safi cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 176%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $878 in Safi. 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 Safi, 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 Safi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Safi. 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 Safi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $585 in Safi. That's a gap of about 176%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Safi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Safi, where all-in costs run around $585, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Safi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Safi more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Safi?
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 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.

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