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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $666 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,088 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,510 in Sale, rent included.

Medellin costs about 153% more than Sale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sale is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.69 MAD 34.11

113.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$19.17 MAD 177

132.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.56 MAD 69.9

22.88%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.87 MAD 17.28

55.08%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.69 MAD 6.34

162.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.37 MAD 3.37

318.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.73 MAD 25.22

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.15 MAD 29.06

86.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.92 MAD 8.50

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.66 MAD 6.07

271.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.04 MAD 18.86

-25.98%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.01 MAD 18.53

38.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$11.66 MAD 108

-22.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.82 MAD 63.0

56.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$12.89 MAD 119

13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.49 MAD 13.72

166.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.28 MAD 11.83

7.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$0.92 MAD 8.50

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.93 MAD 8.62

117.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.71 MAD 6.52

194.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.82 MAD 7.58

98.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.46 MAD 4.24

134.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.65 MAD 5.98

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$4.04 MAD 37.27

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$4.75 MAD 43.87

183.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.28 MAD 21.03

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.27 MAD 20.94

32.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.61 MAD 5.67

93.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$24.08 MAD 222

231.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.74 MAD 6.80

117.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.52 MAD 4.84

309.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$4.35 MAD 40.18

95.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.53 MAD 14.15

-11.76%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$35.2K MAD 325.2K

-19.56%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$32.2K MAD 297.7K

10.72%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$39.17 MAD 362

286.47%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$10.90 MAD 101

20.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$43.56 MAD 402

-25.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$16.78 MAD 155

176.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$42.95 MAD 397

-59.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.49 MAD 50.8

17.12%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$108 MAD 999

671.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$6,156 MAD 56.9K

44.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$33.82 MAD 312

164.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$48.96 MAD 452

12.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$75.3 MAD 696

81.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$68.7 MAD 635

59.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$212 MAD 1,954

350.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$106 MAD 981

528.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$374 MAD 3,457

439.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$266 MAD 2,454

332.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

206.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$866 MAD 7,998

83.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$542 MAD 5,002

15.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

108.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sale: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $212 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 15% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Sale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $202 – making Sale 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 153%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $999 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $19.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $666 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 $666, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.