Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanaa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanaa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $900 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,466 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,032 in Sanaa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 12% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sanaa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sanaa 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.11 YER 1,455

-1.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$22.83 YER 5,440

43.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.15 YER 2,418

-30.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 YER 432

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 YER 430

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.72 YER 888

-54.03%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.14 YER 273

-3.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.46 YER 110

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.91 YER 455

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.20 YER 287

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.47 YER 589

-44.13%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$4.03 YER 959

-45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.86 YER 2,350

-55.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.82 YER 1,625

-17.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$19.15 YER 4,563

-53.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.92 YER 933

-40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.44 YER 344

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.41 YER 574

-37.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.64 YER 391

-15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.70 YER 405

-32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.57 YER 374

-26.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.64 YER 151

39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.74 YER 176

13.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 YER 782

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 YER 394

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 YER 772

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.91 YER 932

-41.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.42 YER 101

104.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$82.1 YER 19.6K

-49.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$4.21 YER 1,004

-65.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$3.99 YER 952

-50.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.32 YER 1,745

5.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.68 YER 640

-64.55%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$16.4K YER 3.9M

10.32%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$33.5K YER 8.0M

-20.98%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$72.3 YER 17.2K

13.71%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.70 YER 3,266

-30.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$38.45 YER 9,163

-36.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$66.6 YER 15.9K

-61.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$16.68 YER 3,975

13.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.90 YER 1,405

-33.39%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$116 YER 27.5K

167.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,808 YER 430.7K

230.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$39.29 YER 9,363

49.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$148 YER 35.2K

-78.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$41.65 YER 9,924

146.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$42.36 YER 10.1K

155.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$167 YER 39.8K

185.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$95.3 YER 22.7K

297.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$410 YER 97.8K

104.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$265 YER 63.2K

172.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$4,123 YER 982.5K

-32.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$819 YER 195.1K

47.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$191 YER 45.5K

167.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.25

19.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $167 in Sanaa. 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 168% 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 $23.00 in Sanaa. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $244 in Sanaa – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sanaa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,350 in Sanaa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanaa, 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 $23.00 in Sanaa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $900 in Sanaa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanaa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sanaa. 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.