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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $914 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,460 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,006 in Sanaa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Sanaa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sanaa 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.33 YER 1,499

-2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$22.96 YER 5,433

41.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.47 YER 2,479

-29.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 YER 417

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 YER 431

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.69 YER 873

-53.39%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.16 YER 274

-9.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.47 YER 111

63.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.88 YER 446

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.22 YER 289

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.48 YER 588

-43.55%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.03 YER 953

-46.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.87 YER 2,337

-55.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.69 YER 1,582

-12.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$18.58 YER 4,397

-53.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.85 YER 912

-40.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.39 YER 329

-20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.39 YER 566

-35.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.64 YER 389

-17.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.79 YER 424

-36.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.62 YER 384

-30.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.63 YER 149

34.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.73 YER 172

24.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.38 YER 800

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 YER 395

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 YER 775

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.05 YER 958

-42.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.42 YER 101

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$81.8 YER 19.4K

-50.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.15 YER 982

-65.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$4.03 YER 953

-52.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.02 YER 1,661

9.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.74 YER 648

-63.87%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.7K YER 3.9M

8.17%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.9K YER 8.0M

-21.48%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$71.5 YER 16.9K

13.05%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.56 YER 3,209

-26.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$38.21 YER 9,042

-36.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$67.4 YER 16.0K

-62.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.43 YER 3,889

16.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.89 YER 1,394

-32.43%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$112 YER 26.6K

171.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,809 YER 428.2K

234.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$39.44 YER 9,336

47.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$147 YER 34.8K

-78.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$40.85 YER 9,668

146.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$41.77 YER 9,885

157.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$166 YER 39.4K

186.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$95.4 YER 22.6K

294.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$403 YER 95.4K

109.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$261 YER 61.7K

180.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,070 YER 963.3K

-21.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$808 YER 191.1K

69.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$190 YER 45.0K

224.17%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $166 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 224% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $241 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 13%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,371 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $914 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 $914, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.