Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sale Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $779 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,232 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,684 in Sale, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Sale, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sale 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.55 MAD 42.09

30.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.89 MAD 304

1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.80 MAD 62.9

6.32%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.98 MAD 18.35

-17.68%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.69 MAD 6.36

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.40 MAD 3.73

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.42 MAD 50.2

-67.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.20 MAD 38.88

-23.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.95 MAD 8.79

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.57 MAD 5.31

126.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.87 MAD 17.26

-29.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.96 MAD 18.17

15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.06 MAD 121

-66.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.01 MAD 55.6

-2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.03 MAD 111

-28.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.52 MAD 14.06

48.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.32 MAD 12.23

-18.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.92 MAD 8.50

65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.89 MAD 8.21

59.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.80 MAD 7.38

46.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.80 MAD 7.45

46.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.39 MAD 3.62

128.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.59 MAD 5.44

52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.36 MAD 40.30

-48.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.84 MAD 44.74

128.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.72 MAD 25.20

-58.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.47 MAD 22.86

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.57 MAD 5.27

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$25.11 MAD 232

67.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.53 MAD 4.86

166.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.48 MAD 4.40

295.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.32 MAD 39.93

79.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.52 MAD 14.04

-33.55%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

-52.86%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

-10.48%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$32.93 MAD 305

154.11%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.00 MAD 102

-14.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$45.34 MAD 419

-46.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$14.22 MAD 132

77.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$23.46 MAD 217

-18.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.41 MAD 59.3

-36.04%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$113 MAD 1,044

176.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

-6.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$43.49 MAD 402

33.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$50.8 MAD 470

-35.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$107 MAD 994

-7.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$98.8 MAD 914

9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$282 MAD 2,611

70.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$175 MAD 1,619

116.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$511 MAD 4,724

64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$303 MAD 2,800

138.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

135.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$880 MAD 8,143

38.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$533 MAD 4,934

1.40%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $282 in Sale. 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 1% 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 $33.00 in Sale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $200 – making Medellin 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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,169 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, 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 $33.00 in Sale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $779 in Sale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.