Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidi Kacem Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidi Kacem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $651 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $971 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,291 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 144% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sidi Kacem is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.6K

$2.98 MAD 29.74

168.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.1K

$17.82 MAD 178

161.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.2K

$8.14 MAD 81.3

15.85%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,326

$1.77 MAD 17.64

64.41%

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

$1.75 COP 5,614

$0.72 MAD 7.18

143.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,241

$0.33 MAD 3.25

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.0K

$2.66 MAD 26.59

17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.8K

$3.16 MAD 31.51

75.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,519

$0.76 MAD 7.60

85.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,818

$0.27 MAD 2.70

803.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,218

$1.47 MAD 14.65

10.88%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,038

$1.67 MAD 16.64

68.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.1K

$5.74 MAD 57.4

68.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.8K

$3.78 MAD 37.70

146.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.1K

$8.79 MAD 87.8

53.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$1.38 MAD 13.83

189.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,744

$1.46 MAD 14.62

1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,804

$0.84 MAD 8.34

152.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,216

$0.58 MAD 5.83

287.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,124

$0.60 MAD 5.96

218.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,188

$0.45 MAD 4.54

260.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,677

$0.32 MAD 3.22

259.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,043

$0.58 MAD 5.82

117.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$3.40 MAD 33.92

12.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.0K

$6.25 MAD 62.4

109.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,110

$1.71 MAD 17.12

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,226

$1.68 MAD 16.76

34.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,751

$0.53 MAD 5.24

120.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 240.3K

$18.95 MAD 189

295.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,077

$0.71 MAD 7.06

78.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,566

$1.12 MAD 11.21

83.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.3K

$3.32 MAD 33.14

146.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,067

$1.22 MAD 12.16

4.10%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

$34.5K MAD 344.5K

-22.40%

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

$34.4K COP 110.2M

$31.0K MAD 309.7K

10.92%

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

$162 COP 519.6K

$43.86 MAD 438

269.84%

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

$13.12 COP 42.0K

$10.70 MAD 107

22.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.0K

$40.77 MAD 407

-31.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.0K

$25.83 MAD 258

71.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.3K

$21.23 MAD 212

-23.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.5K

$3.81 MAD 38.05

59.84%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$47.09 MAD 470

1523.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.5M

$5,739 MAD 57.3K

55.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 272.2K

$18.01 MAD 180

371.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 184.1K

$47.38 MAD 473

21.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 422.1K

$54.7 MAD 546

140.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 306.7K

$66.8 MAD 667

43.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$269 MAD 2,681

282.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$169 MAD 1,691

256.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$474 MAD 4,734

280.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$266 MAD 2,658

272.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$1,175 MAD 11.7K

233.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$828 MAD 8,270

97.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.5

98.91%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $269 in Sidi Kacem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $143 – making Sidi Kacem 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 Sidi Kacem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 144%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $977 in Sidi Kacem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Kacem, 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $18.00 in Sidi Kacem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $651 in Sidi Kacem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Kacem, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Sidi Kacem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidi Kacem – 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 Sidi Kacem. 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.