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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $792 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,237 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,682 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 23% lower, Sale 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.58 MAD 42.37

29.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$32.93 MAD 305

-0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.61 MAD 61.2

8.93%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.06 MAD 19.08

-17.48%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.63 MAD 5.85

74.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.40 MAD 3.70

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$5.42 MAD 50.1

-69.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.14 MAD 38.30

-25.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.96 MAD 8.91

10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.55 MAD 5.06

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.95 MAD 18.06

-28.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.99 MAD 18.39

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.02 MAD 120

-66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.00 MAD 55.5

-2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.69 MAD 108

-24.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.50 MAD 13.90

49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.34 MAD 12.44

-19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.90 MAD 8.33

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.85 MAD 7.82

61.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.80 MAD 7.37

41.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.79 MAD 7.31

41.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.43 MAD 3.94

97.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.64 MAD 5.91

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.36 MAD 40.30

-46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.13 MAD 66.0

56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.61 MAD 24.15

-54.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.55 MAD 23.55

-7.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.56 MAD 5.21

41.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$24.44 MAD 226

68.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.53 MAD 4.88

171.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.52 MAD 4.81

267.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.47 MAD 41.37

79.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.60 MAD 14.76

-41.25%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$37.2K MAD 344.1K

-51.83%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.9K MAD 277.0K

-10.54%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$33.03 MAD 305

154.19%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.91 MAD 101

-12.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$45.43 MAD 420

-46.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$14.25 MAD 132

81.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$23.67 MAD 219

-19.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.48 MAD 59.9

-39.51%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$112 MAD 1,037

173.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,300 MAD 58.3K

-6.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.36 MAD 392

36.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$49.69 MAD 460

-35.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$107 MAD 987

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$100 MAD 927

6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$283 MAD 2,620

71.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$175 MAD 1,617

110.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$501 MAD 4,631

64.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$303 MAD 2,805

136.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,201 MAD 11.1K

143.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$852 MAD 7,882

65.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$410 MAD 3,792

33.08%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sale: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $283 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 33% 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 $204 – 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,188 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $792 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 $792, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.